A church was vandalized and a senior policeman was attacked and injured on Monday during a protest by a group of tribals in Narayanpur city in Chhattisgarh.
Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Sadanand Kumar was attacked during the protest and is being treated in a hospital, Narayanpur Additional Superintendent of Police Hemsagar Sidar said.
A large number of police personnel were deployed after the protest turned violent, he said.
As per preliminary report, a section of tribals staged a demonstration to protest against a clash that took place between two communities over alleged religious conversion in Edka village in Narayanpur district on Sunday, the officer added.
Talking to reporters at the hospital, Kumar said the protestors arrived near the Vishwa Dipti Christian School on Monday and tried to charge towards a church located in the school premises.
After being alerted, he rushed to the spot with other officials and tried to pacify the protestors. They seemed convinced and were about to return but suddenly someone hit his head with a stick.
The policemen dispersed the crowd. The injured officer was shifted to a hospital and given first aid.
However, visuals from the spot showed that some protestors entered the premises and vandalized the church.