PTI
RAIPUR, APRIL 19
TWO unidentified men armed with sharp-edged weapons barged into a church in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district and allegedly tried to set the place on fire. They also allegedly beat up the pastor and his pregnant wife, police said today.
The incident took place on Sunday evening at village Karanji Matagudi Para, which comes under the Parpa police station limits.
“As per the written complaint of Pastor Deenbandhu Sameli, an FIR has been lodged in this connection. Continuous patrolling is being done in the area to nab the attackers. We are sure that the culprits will be arrested soon,” Bastar Superintendent of Police RN Dash told news agency Press Trust of India.
As per the complaint, two men, who identified themselves as belonging to some other denomination of the Christian community entered by expressing their desire to pray in the church.After entering the premises, they launched an attack on the pastor and tried to destroy the Holy Bible, furniture and other religious material kept inside. They even tried to set the place on fire.
“After getting information about the incident, we immediately rushed to the spot and deployed a policeman for security through the night,” Mr Dash said.
A case under sections 295 (injuring or defiling a place of worship), 392 (robbery), 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt), 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against the unidentified persons, he added.
Meanwhile, president of Chhattisgarh’s Christian Forum Arun Pannalal alleged that the attack was carried out by the workers of Bajrang Dal and accused the police of “covering up” the incident.
“This is the third attack on a religious premises of the Christian community in the region. It was carried out by the goons of Bajrang dal. Police are trying to cover it up,” Mr Pannalal alleged.
They attackers allegedly poured petrol on the pastor and his pregnant wife, and tried to set them afire, but they managed to escape. The attackers were armed with a knife, hammer, sword, and petrol, Mr Pannalal said.
