Close X
Friday, November 8, 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

    44 Kerala nurses from Libya to reach Kochi Tuesday

    44 Kerala nurses from Libya to reach Kochi Tuesday
    The first batch of 44 Kerala nurses, evacuated from Libya, will arrive at Kochi on a Middle East airline Tuesday morning, said a state government official....

    44 Kerala nurses from Libya to reach Kochi Tuesday

    From US to village India: IITian promotes rural innovation

    From US to village India: IITian promotes rural innovation
    An IIT-Kanpur alumnus did something unusual on returning to India in the 1980s with a PhD degree from the US - shunning a lucrative career with a multinational....

    From US to village India: IITian promotes rural innovation

    Nearly 5,000 Indians rescued from Iraq so far: Sushma

    Nearly 5,000 Indians rescued from Iraq so far: Sushma
    External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Monday said nearly 5,000 Indians have been brought back from Iraq since it was embroiled in conflict, and...

    Nearly 5,000 Indians rescued from Iraq so far: Sushma

    War of Domination: HSGPC continues siege of Kurukshetra gurdwara

    War of Domination: HSGPC continues siege of Kurukshetra gurdwara
    Members of the newly-constituted Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (HSGPC) Sunday continued their siege of Kurukshetra's Gurdwara Chatti Patshahi on the...

    War of Domination: HSGPC continues siege of Kurukshetra gurdwara

    AAP rally demands Delhi re-polls

    AAP rally demands Delhi re-polls
     The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Sunday held a rally to press its demand that the assembly be dissolved and re-election be held in Delhi....

    AAP rally demands Delhi re-polls

    Drones to monitor wildlife in 10 Indian sites

    Drones to monitor wildlife in 10 Indian sites
    In what could be a major boost to technologically-empowered wildlife surveillance and research in India, plans are afoot to introduce unmanned...

    Drones to monitor wildlife in 10 Indian sites