Seven people have been arrested after a mob with saffron bands on their forehead barged into a church in Khamardih area of Raipur on 6 March. Even as prayers were underway in the church, the group damaged the church’s premises and beat up those present there.
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The attackers reportedly belonged to right wing Hindu outfit Bajrang Dal. Five people were injured when the group vandalised the church.
Minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju said, “The government is in touch with the district administration, who has informed that necessary action would be taken and the guilty would be punished.”
The president of Chhattisgarh’s Christian Forum Arun Pannalal said the attackers spared none; they attacked women and one infant. He said today’s attack was the fourth such attack on a Christian place of worship in the past one month in Chattisgarh.
They allegedly damaged chairs, fans and other articles in the church, raised ‘Jai Shree Ram’ slogans and beat up the people present there, he said. They fled the spot when the police arrived, added Pannalal.
Based on the victims’ complaint, 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) and 147 (rioting) of the Indian Penal Code.
