Five students of Bible College at Kolshe were attacked at Panvel, when they were distributing religious literature.
Five students of Bible College at Kolshe were attacked at Panvel, when they were distributing religious literature. The incident took place at about 6 pm on Monday. The injured students have been identified as Elisha Amolik, 22, Suresh Sonu Masiha, 21, Mishak Kiran Samuel, 20, Bramhanand Pradhan, 22 and Kartik Ekka, 20.
According to PS Jose, Principal of the college, the youth are students of Bible College run by Deliver Church at Kolshe, 3km from Panvel. They had gone to Panvel on Monday evening to distribute religious literature on the Mumbai-Goa Highway.
Jose told DNA, “Students were distributing the literature among people standing on the road with prior permission. No one was being forced to accept it. While they were at it, around 15-20 youths came there and assaulted them without any warning. They also threatened them of dire consequences if they were again seen distributing literature there.”
The unidentified youths severely thrashed the students with sticks. “Bramhanand Pradhan and Kartik Ekka sustained severe head injuries while other students have suffered internal injuries in the attack”, Jose said. On being informed, Jose and other people at the Church rushed to the spot and took the injured students to Nagar Palika Hospital, Panvel.
“However, doctors at the hospital refused to treat the students without a police complaint,” Jose said. “As the students were in a serious condition, we took them to a private hospital in Panvel, where they were treated,” Jose added.
When asked about the reason behind the attack and identity of the attackers, Jose said, “We do not know the people and their affiliations of those who attacked our students. The matter has been reported to the Panvel police”. However, no offence was registered at the police station and no arrests were made till the filing of this report.
Vice Chairman of State Minority Commission, Dr Abraham Mathai said, “It is shameful that in a state that prides itself on its secular values, Christians are being beaten up by fundamentalist goons, who live and breathe hate”. The police are also supporting the fundamentalists, which is evident from the frequent attacks on Christians, Mathai added.
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