Two attacks against Christians in Central India. Bajrang Dal involved. Police also attacked.

15 April 2010

Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh: A Christian meeting was attacked by the Bajrang Dal and workers of BJP yesterday and today resulting in a tense situation in the entire area.

A 3 day gospel meeting had been organized by the Christian Churches of Balaghat and today was the last day of the meeting. Pastor Ram Babu was bringing the word of God for the past two evenings and the day time was devoted to Bible studies. The meetings were taking place in the Balaghat stadium with due permission and protection of the police and the local administration.

Today evening around 5 pm, Christians who were taking part in the meeting were beaten up during even as they were on the way to attend Bible Studies. At least three were beaten badly after being taken forcibly to the BJP office in Balaghat. Many were hurt during the stone pelting by Bajrang Dal workers.

In the evening the fundamentalists attacked the meeting in the presence of the police and were met with retaliation. However they were successful in damaging at least 4 vehicles. They also attacked the police in anger following which the police was forced to lathi charge the miscreants.

Yesterday the Bajrang Dal threw two petrol bombs at the meeting and one had exploded inside the meeting venue. No one was hurt.

Chhattisgarh

At least 40 Bajrang Dal and Dharma Sena members attacked a team of young people in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh. The youth who are part of the brethren Church were distributing tracts in Sector 2 as reported by local sources and were also joined by their pastor Shalu Ninan.

Even Pastor Ninan was beaten up badly and when they went to lodge an FIR at the police station they found that an FIR was already lodged against them and hence they were arrested on charges of forced conversions. They are still in the lock up and attempts to bail them out are on.

Three detained for blasts in Kandhamal

Phulbani (Orissa), Sept 28 (PTI) Three persons were detained today for interrogation in connection with the bomb blast at a rehabilitation centre in Kandhamal district which left one dead.
They were being interrogated for their suspected Maoist links, Kandhamal SP Praveen Kumar said.
Seizure of four guns from the site of the blast led to the suspicion that they had Maoist links, he said.
The identity of the person killed in the explosion yesterday has not been ascertained so far, while the injured has been identified as Patrasen Mallick of Batikola village.
The person who died in the blast did not belong to Batikola village and had arrived at the rehabilitation centre at Nandagiri barely five days ago, he said.
A forensic team visited the spot to determine the nature of the explosive used in making the bomb.

PTI

Relief camp blast kills one

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 29: For the second day today, police and forensic experts continued with their investigation into the bomb blast at a relief camp in Kandhamal that left one dead and two injured on Sunday.

A police team, led by Kandhamal superintendent of police Praveen Kumar, is carrying out probe into the incident that is suspected to have Maoist links. Inspector-general of police (law and order) Arun Sarangi has also arrived there.

While the identity of the deceased is yet to be known, the two injured — Anthony Malick and Patrasa Malick — are undergoing treatment at MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur.

“We have already conducted autopsy of the deceased,” Kumar said, adding that the forensic team had collected samples to determine the nature of explosives used in making the bomb.

About 162 people at the relief camp have fled into the forest, fearing arrest.

The mishap took place at Nandagiri relief camp under G. Udayagiri police station in Kandhamal district after a crude bomb being prepared at the centre went off.

The duo were first rushed to G. Udayagiri primary health centre and later shifted to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur after their condition worsened.

Three persons were detained and four guns were recovered. “The persons are being interrogated,” said Rajkumar Murmu, the officer in charge of G. Udayagiri police station.

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