This took place on Sunday April 19th ,2009A mob of about 100 militants of the Hindu fundamentalist party Bajrang Dal attacked a church in Saavner area of Nagpur and vandalized it, according to reports reaching the state police headquarters in Mumbai yesterday. The attack took place at 11.00 a.m. when 70 members of the Christian community were praying in the church. The incident led to tension and panic in the city. Police beefed up security in the area and appealed to the people to not to believe in rumors and help in maintaining peace and harmony in the city. According to police sources, the Bajrang Dal militants attacked the church on the suspicion that it was being used for converting Hindus to Christianity.
The police have registered a case against four accused persons, who are reported to be absconding. The Hindu militants damaged chairs, tables, fans in the church and a minibus that was parked in the church compound.
(Source Arabnews)
The police have registered a case against four accused persons, who are reported to be absconding. The Hindu militants damaged chairs, tables, fans in the church and a minibus that was parked in the church compound.
(Source Arabnews)
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An armed group of Hindu radicals attacked a 100-year-old church in Saoner near Nagpur on Sunday, April 19. Saoner police said that just about 10 minutes before the attack, some persons claiming to be from VHP’s Ramtek unit came to the police station and handed over an application asking for action against religious conversions taking place in Saoner.
They warned of a vigorous movement against the church’s action of allegedly targeting economically weaker section and converting them into Christianity offering them enticements. The allegations, said priest Reverend Mark Sakharpekar of the church, were baseless. He said this was the first attack of its kind on the church.
CH Wakade, superintendent of police, Nagpur rural, said that these men then headed straight to the church. “The police station personnel had accepted the complaint and assured them that they would look into the issue of conversion through unfair means. Ten minutes later, the police station received information about attack at the church. It seems that the moves were planned,” he said. SP said that special squads have been formed to round up the culprits at the earliest.
Sakharpekar had just begun his sermon when the attack began. It triggered panic among the devotees. The church is hardly a kilometre from the police station. The priest’s wife Pushpa Sakharpekar, who is in a shock after the attack, tried to reason with the assailants but to no avail. The other women too protested. A sharp trident like weapon was hurled at the priest. However, he escaped unhurt. One of the attackers told him that ‘next time will be worse’. Two worshippers, Aruna Telkhande and Preeti Dongre, received minor injuries.
The late 19th century church comes under the Church of Scotland Missions and is affiliated to United Church of Northern India. “It was a merciless attack. I was shocked to see them barge into the church with sticks and weapons during the worship. They hurled a sharp trident at me. Some of them were known faces. One Pandit Bharadwaj even brandished a pistol to intimidate me,” said Sakharpekar. “Sonu Bariya was one of the attackers. We know him since his mother often came for the morning service. He too visited the church on several occasions. Both Sonu and his mother had recently discontinued their visits to the church,” he said.
An unidentified man had barged into the Saoner church in the night and tried to vandalise the St. John’s Mission High School’s computer room some days back. Sakharpekar had not taken the matter to police station then. “We had no idea who had then tried to break open the computer room. He had claimed to be sent by someone but that name was unfamiliar,” he said. Sakharpekar had raised the boundary wall of the church and school premises.
An offence of rioting, trespassing and defiling place of worship and insulting religious feelings has been registered against the culprits.
They warned of a vigorous movement against the church’s action of allegedly targeting economically weaker section and converting them into Christianity offering them enticements. The allegations, said priest Reverend Mark Sakharpekar of the church, were baseless. He said this was the first attack of its kind on the church.
CH Wakade, superintendent of police, Nagpur rural, said that these men then headed straight to the church. “The police station personnel had accepted the complaint and assured them that they would look into the issue of conversion through unfair means. Ten minutes later, the police station received information about attack at the church. It seems that the moves were planned,” he said. SP said that special squads have been formed to round up the culprits at the earliest.
Sakharpekar had just begun his sermon when the attack began. It triggered panic among the devotees. The church is hardly a kilometre from the police station. The priest’s wife Pushpa Sakharpekar, who is in a shock after the attack, tried to reason with the assailants but to no avail. The other women too protested. A sharp trident like weapon was hurled at the priest. However, he escaped unhurt. One of the attackers told him that ‘next time will be worse’. Two worshippers, Aruna Telkhande and Preeti Dongre, received minor injuries.
The late 19th century church comes under the Church of Scotland Missions and is affiliated to United Church of Northern India. “It was a merciless attack. I was shocked to see them barge into the church with sticks and weapons during the worship. They hurled a sharp trident at me. Some of them were known faces. One Pandit Bharadwaj even brandished a pistol to intimidate me,” said Sakharpekar. “Sonu Bariya was one of the attackers. We know him since his mother often came for the morning service. He too visited the church on several occasions. Both Sonu and his mother had recently discontinued their visits to the church,” he said.
An unidentified man had barged into the Saoner church in the night and tried to vandalise the St. John’s Mission High School’s computer room some days back. Sakharpekar had not taken the matter to police station then. “We had no idea who had then tried to break open the computer room. He had claimed to be sent by someone but that name was unfamiliar,” he said. Sakharpekar had raised the boundary wall of the church and school premises.
An offence of rioting, trespassing and defiling place of worship and insulting religious feelings has been registered against the culprits.
(Source cbcsite)
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Jesus said; All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.Matthew 10;22
His words have proved to be true all through the centuries..
What I just don 't understand is that the right-wing Hindu fundamentalists accuse the church of "false" or "forced" conversions.
I want to tell them that there are no false or forced conversions in Christianity. True conversion has to be of the heart otherwise it is of no value. And if anyone pretends to be converted he is doing so at the peril of his own soul because God cannot be fooled.
The pretend converts slide back into where they came from. The ones whose names are written in the Lamb 's Book of Life will receive the crown of life .
Please pray for our safety too.
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The second day of voting passed off peacefully today. There was a low voters turn out because of the blistering 110 ' heat.
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