Close X
Thursday, November 7, 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

    India among five nations to build world's biggest telescope

    India among five nations to build world's biggest telescope
     India, along with four other countries, will Tuesday start work to build the world's biggest telescope in Hawaii Island, the media here reported Monday...

    India among five nations to build world's biggest telescope

    Five killed in Pakistan firing in Jammu

    Five killed in Pakistan firing in Jammu
    Pakistan Rangers Monday resorted to indiscriminate firing along the international border in Jammu district, killing five civilians and injuring...

    Five killed in Pakistan firing in Jammu

    Will Modi's broom sweep away legal cobwebs?

    Will Modi's broom sweep away legal cobwebs?
    The Narendra Modi government is determined to clean up the country in more ways than one. In an ambitious move, the government intends to junk...

    Will Modi's broom sweep away legal cobwebs?

    Patna stampede: Probe team records statements of officials, injured

    Patna stampede: Probe team records statements of officials, injured
    The panel probing the Dussehra day stampede at the Gandhi Maidan here recorded the statements of top officials and the injured Sunday and may...

    Patna stampede: Probe team records statements of officials, injured

    Pakistan violates ceasefire in Kashmir

    Pakistan violates ceasefire in Kashmir
    The Pakistan Army fired at Indian positions along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir Sunday, violating a 2003 ceasefire, the defence ministry said....

    Pakistan violates ceasefire in Kashmir

    Punjab: 40 kg heroin seized in Ludhiana

    Punjab: 40 kg heroin seized in Ludhiana
    In one of the biggest drug seizures in Punjab in recent months, 40 kg of heroin was seized from a truck near Ludhiana district Saturday, officials said.

    Punjab: 40 kg heroin seized in Ludhiana