The New York Police Department arrested seven people on charges of rioting and assault after a violent altercation inside a gurdwara in Queens April 24. Sikh organizations say infighting has never reached such heights of violence in the past and reflected badly on the community.

"We made seven arrests," an NYPD spokesman told News India Times, adding, "Three were for rioting and four for assault." He said he could not speak to what led to the violence but said those arrested would be taken to the (102nd) Richmond Hill precinct for verification and processing of charges and the District Attorney would let the NYPD know if any additional charges had to be filed against them.

Those arrested would be fingerprinted and then taken to Central Booking where they will be kept until produced in court.

According to news reports, some Sikhs wielding a sword and cricket bats, as well as a hammer, and mallet, entered the Baba Makhan Shah Lubana Sikh Center in south Richmond Hill, Queens, during the morning prayers and violence ensued. A power struggle had been going on at the temple for several months, community members, who did not wish to be named, told Desi Talk.

The controversy over leadership has its roots in a change in leadership more than three years ago, when several candidates wanted to become president. At that time, the New York Gurdwara Management Committee decided that future terms would be restricted to one year for the Richmond Hill gurdwara and that was entered into the bylaws of that temple, former president Himmat Singh Sarpanch told News India Times.

The tenure was reduced to one year, allowing a faster turnover of presidents to accommodate aspiring leaders. Subsequently, the presidency was held by Himmat Singh Sarpanch (2008), followed by Kuldip Singh Khalsa (2009), and then Jarnail Singh (2010), followed by Gurmej Singh (2011).

According to community members, Jarnail Singh took the matter to a Queens court, but the case was dismissed. He has now taken it to federal court, Himmat Singh Sarpanch said. Jarnail Singh did not return calls.

Gurmej Singh, the current president, told The New York Post that he and his supporters had come to pray despite knowing there could be trouble.

The priest at Baba Makhan Shah Lubana told News India Times he was not present when the violence took place.

"This is a leadership problem," Balwant Singh Preet, the priest, confirmed. "This is a political problem," he added but refused to give details. "I was out of the city when it happened."

According to news reports, police had been stationed outside the temple before the morning prayers, indicating there was some premonition violence may break out. But the NYPD spokesman refused to comment on events leading up to the incident.

Rival factions fighting over power at gurdwaras are not uncommon around North America, conceded a spokesman from United Sikhs, a global organization with an office in New York as well.

"Issues do arise at gurdwaras, and politics is endemic, but not often at this level [of violence]," Hansdeep Singh, an attorney at United Sikhs told News India Times. "It is definitely hurtful to the community," he added.

Jarnail Singh was contacted but did not return the call by press time.

 "We just went to pray," M.K. Singh, who received stitches and staples for a head wound, is quoted saying in the Post report. "We walked inside, and they started attacking."

"People want to sit down at the table and talk this over," said one community member who has headed gurdwaras in the New York City area, adding, "Putting all this in the newspaper does not show the community in a good light."