Vandals Damage Sacred Statue at Cary's Sri Venkateswara Temple

The Sri Venkateswara of North Carolina, a Hindu temple serving the Desi community in Cary, was vandalized in the early morning hours of Sunday, January 18, 2026, when surveillance cameras recorded at least five individuals on the property before they fled the scene in a small sedan at approximately 3:00 a.m., an act that left the Dvarapalaka statue at the temple's front entrance damaged and prompted the Cary Police Department to open a criminal investigation. Detectives are working to identify each of the five suspects shown in the footage and to determine the circumstances behind the incident, while the department has called on community members to come forward with any information that might assist the inquiry. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Cary Crimestoppers by phone or online, as investigators continue to pursue the case at one of the region's most prominent South Asian religious institutions.

Surveillance Video Shows Five Suspects Fleeing Cary Hindu Temple

ABC11 News reported that the Cary Police Department is investigating an act of vandalism that occurred at the Sri Venkateswara of North Carolina temple on the night of January 18, 2026. Surveillance video from the temple proved central to the case from the outset, capturing footage of at least five individuals at the scene in the early morning hours. The footage showed the group running and then speeding away from the temple grounds in what police identified as a small sedan, departing around 3:00 a.m. Shortly after the group fled, the Dvarapalaka statue situated at the front of the temple was discovered to have sustained damage. Detectives from the Cary Police Department are actively working to identify each of the individuals captured in the surveillance footage as the investigation proceeds. The department issued a public appeal for assistance, asking anyone with relevant information to contact Cary Crimestoppers by calling (919) 460-4636. Callers are assured that they are not required to reveal their identity when submitting a tip, a provision intended to lower the barrier for community members who may know something but are reluctant to go on the record. The Sri Venkateswara of North Carolina is an important institution for the Hindu and South Asian community in the Cary area, and the vandalism of a prominent statue at its entrance drew attention from police and community members alike as investigators began their work. [1]

Cary Police Seek Witnesses as Temple Vandalism Investigation Continues

WRAL reported on the vandalism at the Sri Venkateswara of North Carolina temple, citing Cary Police Department accounts that surveillance cameras at the site recorded five individuals around 3:00 a.m. on Sunday departing the property in a small sedan at speed. The Dvarapalaka statue at the front of the temple was found to be damaged in the aftermath of the incident. According to WRAL's coverage, the Cary Police Department confirmed the investigation is ongoing, with detectives focused on two parallel goals: identifying the five individuals visible in the surveillance footage, and establishing the precise circumstances that led to the damage inflicted on the temple's statue. Officers have asked members of the public who hold any relevant information to come forward and submit tips through Cary Crimestoppers, which can be reached by calling 919-460-4636 or through an online portal at www.p3tips.com/1242, both of which permit anonymous submissions. The investigation's open question regarding motive and surrounding circumstances indicates that police are not yet in a position to characterize the incident definitively, and additional community information could prove crucial in establishing a fuller picture of what occurred at the temple that night. The availability of surveillance footage gives investigators a concrete starting point from which to build the case, and the department's public appeal reflects its intent to draw on community knowledge as the investigation proceeds. [4]

Sources: [1] ABC11 News · [4] WRAL