A group of miscreants on Sunday stormed into a church located in Kachna village on the outskirts of Raipur city and vandalised furniture in the premises.
The attackers also reportedly misbehaved with a few women in the premises. According to eyewitnesses, some persons present in the church were also beaten up by the miscreants.
“Some chairs and drums kept in the church were damaged by the miscreants who might be numbering between 15 to 20, Superintendent of Police (SP), Raipur, BN Meena said adding, police is trying to trace the miscreants on the basis of a few motorbikes left behind at the spot. Meanwhile, police also raised the suspicion that some land dispute could be the possible reason behind the incident.
“The residents of the village have informed that the church was built on encroached land. We are also looking into that angle,” Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) (City) Neeraj Chandrakar told The Pioneer. Some youths had been detained and are being interrogated, he said.
President of Chhattisgarh’s Christian Forum Arun Pannalal claimed that it was fourth attack on the religious premises of Christian community during the past few months in the State.
“Around 15 to 20 men entered the church while Sunday prayer was underway at around noon time and started vandalizing the premises,” Pannalal said.
They even did not spare women and tore up their clothes while beating them up. A two-year-old child was also roughed up by the miscreants, he claimed.
Rejecting the charges of religious conversion, Pannalal said, a group of 40-50 people from down-trodden families in the village had themselves set up the Church under a Tin shed where they perform prayers on every Sunday. “If someone is levelling the charge, then they should prove it “ he challenged.
He also appreciated the prompt police action and remarked, “we are thankful to the police that they immediately reached the village (Kachna) after getting information about the attack and took necessary action.”
Based on the complaint of victims, a case has been registered under Sections 452 (House-trespass after preparation for hurt), 295 (Injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class), 147 (Tioting) and 427 of Indian Penal Code (IPC), police said.