Christian prayer meet in Bhayander was attacked by a group of about 20 people said to be members of the Shiv Sena and Bajrang Dal on Saturday.
MUMBAI: A Christian prayer meet in Bhayander was attacked by a group of about 20 people said to be members of the Shiv Sena and Bajrang Dal on Saturday. A pastor was seriously injured. Members of the Church of God, an evangelist group said the incident took place at 12.30pm, when the members had gathered for a prayer meet.
An eyewitness Raj Jaiswal, who was present at the prayer meet when the incident took place, said, “We were taken aback by the crowd that entered. We weren’t sure what they wanted, neither did they make their intentions clear. They kept yelling out abuses, and they then beat up the pastor.”
Pastor Lovson Kurien, 40, another member of the church who was present when the incident took place said, “I have been living here since the last 30 years. I had gone for the 12 p.m. service when suddenly people broke into the church shouting slogans of “Jai Bajrang Bali. They beat Father Felix, the pastor and made him unconscious. They then left him in the middle of the road.”
Kurien added that he later informed members of the All India Christian Council who called the police. “When the police came the crowd ran away from the spot. The Police picked up Pastor Felix from the ground and recorded his statement. Later they took him to a government hospital in Mira Road.”
According to Kurien a lot of property, including an expensive sound system a cupboard, three air conditioners were damaged. “In all they damaged property worth Rs 4 lakh,” he said.
The police arrested five members of the Shiv Sena. PSI P N Khedkar of Mira Road police station said, “Around 20 people including a woman came to the church when a prayer meeting was going on. We have registered several cases against them and are investigating.”
Commenting on the incident, Abraham Mathia of the All India Christian Council said, “This church has been around for the last 20 years. With the elections nearing these attacks will only continue unless the police act severely and book the culprits under a stringent act.”
Fr Tony Charangat, of the Archdiocese of Mumbai says that the church will support the group. “It was not a Catholic church but a prayer house of an evangalist group. But we condemn any violent action in the name of religion. We will take legal action if the law enforcing authority does not act.”
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