The uncle of a Queens man was among those killed yesterday in the Sikh temple massacre.
Mohan Khatra was worshipping at the Sikh Cultural Society in Richmond Hill when he learned the news about his relative, Suvez Khatra, 77.
“It’s very sad news for our family. It’s very sad news for our community” Khatra told The Post.
“This is not like anything we have seen before.
“He was a very good man. This makes no sense to anyone who knew him,” he said.
Yesterday was supposed to have been a celebration for the cultural center on 118th Street as Mohan Khatra was being sworn in as its chairman, or administrative leader.
“It was shocking for all of us,” said Harpreet Toor, a center spokesman.
“At 1 o’clock, he was taking the oath of office, and by 3 o’clock, he was mourning the loss of his uncle.”
The NYPD deployed extra security to temples around the city to prevent copycat attacks.
Toor said Mayor Bloomberg plans to visit the cultural center today.
“I’m glad there’s extra security here,” said worshipper Harmeet Bindra, who was visiting from Atlanta.
“I feel nervous now. We have someone to save us if something happens,” said Bindra, 19. “What happened right now should not happen again.”
Toor said the temple’s window was shot out in 2009. But, he added, the congregation has a good relationship with its neighbors.
“Honestly, I don’t feel nervous, because I think New York City is different from every other place,” he said. “It’s more tolerant.”
“Seeing the NYPD out in front of the temple, it brings to mind Tucson and Aurora,” he said, referring to the shootings in Arizona and Colorado.
But worshipper Paul Singh, 55, was reassured by the police presence.
“A crazy person with criminal intention could be anywhere,” he said.
Additional reporting by Doug Auer