‘They are the good guys’: Palatine police thanked for foiling alleged terror attack on Hindu temple

Members of the suburban Hindu community offered handmade thank you cards, food and plenty of gratitude to Palatine police officers Thursday for their work helping to stop an alleged terror plot targeting an Aurora temple.

The gathering at the Palatine police station Thursday night came about 2¹/₂ weeks after officers arrested a 19-year-old man authorities say planned to carry out a mass shooting Oct. 11 at the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple.

Among those offering thanks was Devesh Pandit, who said he had planned to visit the temple the day authorities allege Alexandros Paporakis of Palatine showed up with a rifle and 300 rounds of ammunition.

Cook County prosecutors say the rifle jammed when Paporakis tried to open fire, causing him to leave with plans to return later and try again. Palatine police, acting on a tip passed along by Mount Prospect police, arrested him outside his home later that day.

“They are the good guys,” Pandit said of the police. “They are helping the community take care of the bad guys.”

Pandit, of Morton Grove, called the events of that day “a miracle.”

“If (the gun) had not jammed, then we would have seen 300 people lying dead or more,” he said.

Pandit said he frequently worships at the Aurora temple, the first he attended when he migrated to the United States in 1984.

“When my first child was born, we took him (there) to take the blessings and bow down to the deity,” he said.

Thursday night’s event was organized by Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, a national Hindu American nonprofit social, educational and cultural organization.

Families cheered for Police Chief William Nord and presented thank you cards to officers. They gathered afterward for samosa and conversation.

Nord said several of the officers, detectives and civilian personnel who worked on the case were in the room.

“I really appreciate you all taking time out of your day to recognize the Palatine Police Department for our hard work and just doing our jobs,” he said, also giving a nod to the Mount Prospect and Aurora police departments for their work.

“We feel very blessed to have you all here,” he added.

Among those there to thank the officers was Palatine resident Sanjay Patel.

“Absolutely amazing,” he said. “They did the right thing at the right time.”

Schaumburg resident Heena Dixit, joint director of the Chicago chapter of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, said it was a blessing that police handled matters in so timely a manner.

“We don’t have enough words to thank you guys,” she said.

Buffalo Grove resident Sunil Pawar said the Oct. 11 incident has families concerned about safety at places of worship.

“It was good that police took action in time,” he said.

Paporakis faces charges of making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of a weapon. He is being held at the Cook County jail while awaiting trial and is scheduled to appear in court Friday.

szalusky@dailyherald.com