Indian Origin Muslim is in charge of security at the Hindu temple at Indianapolis in US

Lt Javed Khan from the local police department is now the director of security at the Hindu temple in Indianapolis
Khan is now at the temple every Sunday and some Friday nights and when required
The temple is one of the prominent cultural centres in the city, with hundreds of people visiting it daily

Setting an example of inter- faith cooperation and a social harmony, a Muslim police officer in Indianapolis takes up charge of the security of a Hindu temple in Indianapolis, US. A Muslim protecting a temple sends a strong message of harmony and peace especially during these times of religious intolerance and terrorism in the name of God.

Lt Javed Khan from the local police department is now the director of security at the Hindu temple in Indianapolis. He is an eight-degree black-belt in Taekwondo and a kickboxing champion and has over twenty years of experience in martial arts training. He has trained several military personnel, police officers, film stars, and models and is also the creator of several self-defense programs, mentioned the Deccan herald.com report on July 24.

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Khan, who was born in Mumbai and raised in Lonavla, Pune, had been coming to the US since 1986 for participating in the various martial arts championship. He migrated to the United States in 2000 and settled in Indiana, a year later.

Lt Javed Khan. Image Source: rediff.com

According to the Deccan herald.com report, Khan believes in religious equality and says that what he is doing is his duty and isn't something extraordinary or special. "We are Indians. Half my family is Hindu. I do not believe in the Hindu-Muslim thing," he tells The Press Trust of India (PTI) in a phone interview from Indianapolis. "My message is this; we are all one. We are all the children of God. There is only one God and then there are different forms and names, we choose to worship."

Khan is now at the temple every Sunday and some Friday nights and when required. He says that it all started when he married his daughter to a Telugu boy at that Hindu temple. He started to get to know people at the temple and felt that there was a need for its protection.

He says," I offered my services. I am director of security for the temple now. While the temple has been in existence for the past several years, its formal opening ceremony — Kumbhabhishekam — was held last year, which was attended by top state leaders."

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The temple is one of the prominent cultural centres in the city, with hundreds of people visiting it daily. Many top state leaders and other well-known personalities attend the special ceremonies held at the temple. Mike Pence who is now the vice presidential candidate of the Republican party was the Governor of Indiana and last year had said in a message that the Hindu place of worship would uplift its people and enrich the cultural heritage of the state.

"Your place of worship adds another significant landmark to the city of Indianapolis and I am certain that it will play a key role in enriching the cultural heritage of our state, as well as, the learning and spiritual growth of its devotees and visitors," he said in June last year during the formal opening of the temple that was built at an estimated cost of USD 10 million.
He is considered by many visitors to the temple as a Hindu and Khan says that the temple and its pleasant atmosphere makes him feel as if he had never left India. "We have some great people here. People are nice," says Khan to PTI.

Mr Ravi Pattar, the chairman of the temple Board of Trustees says that Khan, who has been deputed by the police department, provides security during major events and on the weekends

"This is very refreshing. He takes a very keen interest in providing security to the temple," said Dr Mohan Razdan, a renowned Indian-American who played a key role in the construction of the temple. He also adds that Javed Khan is well known among the devotees and is respected by all.

– prepared by Ajay Krishna of NewsGram. Twitter: @ajkrish14

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