Close X
Thursday, November 14, 2024
ADVT 
India

West Delhi Church Vandalized, Incident Captured On CCTV

IANS, 14 Jan, 2015 12:51 PM
    A church here was vandalized before dawn Wednesday, the fourth such incident in the capital in seven weeks, police said.
     
    The incident, which took place around 4.20 a.m., was captured by a CCTV camera installed inside the premises of Our Lady Of Graces Church at Vikaspuri in west Delhi.
     
    "The CCTV footage shows that two people came on a scooter. One entered the church's premises and smashed a glass window. He also threw the statue of Mother Mary on the floor," Father Balraj of the church told IANS.
     
    The police received a call from the church around 7.30 a.m.
     
    Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Monika Bhardwaj told IANS that a case had been filed against two unidentified men for deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings.
     
    Bhardwaj said the police have a clear picture of one of the culprits who toppled the statue of Mother Mary and smashed the glass window. "He might be in his late 30s."
     
    Father Savarimuthu Sankar, spokesperson of the Delhi Catholic Archdiocese, told IANS: "We see a clear pattern in these attacks."
     
    He said the attacks on churches occurring at regular intervals had unnerved Christians in Delhi.
     
    He said the attacks took place most on the city's outskirts and at four different directions within 44 days.
     
    "We cannot say if these incidents are related to the (coming Delhi) elections or the handiwork of some fundamentalists. But it is a matter of concern and police should take proper action," he added.
     
    Three churches were attacked earlier in separate incidents.
     
    Earlier this month, a minor fire was reported from a church in Rohini in west Delhi. The Christmas crib outside was charred.
     
    Last month, some unidentified people threw stones at Our Lady of Fatima Forane Church at Jasola in south Delhi and broke window panes during the evening Mass.
     
    St Sebastian's Church, a Catholic church at Dilshad Garden in east Delhi, was burnt down in December. Police confirmed it was a case of arson.
     
    According to the 2011 Census report, Christians number around 130,000 in Delhi, which is home to about 17 million. The Christian population in India is 24 million -- of the total 1.2 billion.

    MORE India ARTICLES

    Pakistani daily concerned over India's hiked defence budget

    Pakistani daily concerned over India's hiked defence budget
    New Delhi's rationale for increasing the defence budget is "consistent with the shift in the Indian government's ideology to more nationalistic elements under Prime Minister...

    Pakistani daily concerned over India's hiked defence budget

    Manipuri man beaten to death in Delhi

    Manipuri man beaten to death in Delhi
    A 29-year-old man from Manipur was beaten to death here by a group of five to six men, police said Monday....

    Manipuri man beaten to death in Delhi

    HSGPC row: Akali Dal calls for mega Sikh conference July 27

    HSGPC row: Akali Dal calls for mega Sikh conference July 27
    Punjab's ruling Shiromani Akali Dal Saturday announced it would hold a mega panthic conference (Vishal Panthic Ikath) of Sikhs from all over the world July 27 at Amritsar's Golden...

    HSGPC row: Akali Dal calls for mega Sikh conference July 27

    Punjab, Haryana hit by poor rainfall

    Punjab, Haryana hit by poor rainfall
    Punjab and Haryana, the country's food bowl, have received deficient to scanty rainfall in most parts this year, Met officials said Sunday....

    Punjab, Haryana hit by poor rainfall

    Reality Check: Modi government's media policy - keep them away?

    Reality Check: Modi government's media policy - keep them away?
    It has been almost two months since Narendra Modi took charge as India's prime minister, but the new government is yet to spell out its media and...

    Reality Check: Modi government's media policy - keep them away?

    US wants ties with 'Modi's India': Pakistani daily

    US wants ties with 'Modi's India': Pakistani daily
    After denying him a visa for years, the US now wants to engage with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Pakistani daily said Sunday, adding Washington...

    US wants ties with 'Modi's India': Pakistani daily