A church was allegedly vandalised and priests and devotees assaulted during its inauguration ceremony at Narayantala, under the Basanti police station limits in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district, police said on Sunday. Bishop Subrata Chakraborty, several priests and devotees had gathered for the inauguration when the attack took place over the weekend.
Source: PTI via TezzBuzz
According to police, a complaint alleged that a group of 30 to 35 people entered the church premises and attacked those present. Several people, including women, were injured. Women were also allegedly attacked and asked to remove their traditional 'shakha' (white bangles) before being forced out of the premises, a police officer said.
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The attackers allegedly damaged a cross inside the church and smashed the mobile phones of people trying to record the incident, the officer added. Members of the congregation also alleged that the attackers threatened them not to hold religious activities on the premises. Police have launched an investigation after a formal complaint was registered.
Source: Daily Jagran
Police see a possible internal feud; church body calls it intimidation
Basanti police have said that, prima facie, the incident looked like an internal feud between two Christian groups in the area, The Hindu reported. The Bangiya Christiya Pariseba (BCP), a Christian organisation, condemned the attack as an attempt to intimidate the minority community. Its founder state secretary and working president, Herod Mullick, said: 'This is an unprecedented incident where miscreants have beaten up multiple priests during an inauguration ceremony with the bishop present.' He alleged that organised groups were targeting minorities without fear of action.
Source: The Hindu via Scoop
What is solid
- A complaint was registered at Basanti police station and police have opened an investigation
- Bishop Subrata Chakraborty and several priests and devotees were present for the church's inauguration at Narayantala
- Several people, including women, were injured, according to police
What is only claimed
- Who the 30 to 35 attackers were and why they entered the church
- Whether women were forced to remove their shakha bangles, as the complaint alleges
- Basanti police's prima facie view of an internal feud between Christian groups, against the BCP's charge of organised intimidation of a minority community
The incident comes weeks after three Christian families in Paschim Medinipur district approached police alleging they had been threatened and assaulted to force them to renounce their faith. The families, who had converted to Christianity around 18 months ago, also alleged they were forced to take part in religious rituals against their wishes.
Source: PTI via TezzBuzz