Another church vandalised
16 Jan 2015 4:27 AM IST
The footage that is now in possession with the police shows that someone has vandalised the church deliberately.
“At around 4.19 am, a person came on a scooter while another on a motorcycle. They broke the glass, then returned a minute later and toppled the statue,” said Assistant Priest Father Balraj of Our Lady of Graces Church.
The incident came to light at around 6:30 am when Balraj reached the church following which he called police.
“A police team led by senior officials rushed to the spot. A crime and forensics team picked circumstantial evidence from the crime scene. We have recorded the statements of Father Balraj and other people and a case has been registered,” said a senior police official.
The official also said that police suspect that the attackers were drunk and the damage was caused to fulfill a bet placed among the friends as the person who broke the glass pane is seen bowing his head and folding hands before committing the act.
“This is very clear that it is a planned and orchestrated attack which is caught on CCTV. It is up to the police now to take strict action in the case,” said Father Savarimuthu Sankar, spokesperson of the Delhi Catholic Archdiocese.
He also said that there is a clear pattern in these attacks and a “political strategy” to instigate religious feelings ahead of the upcoming Delhi elections cannot be ruled out.
Delhi Archbishop Anil JT Couto has expressed deep concern at growing number of attacks on churches in Delhi.
“A clear pattern of orchestrated attacks on churches is emerging as more and more churches are targeted, vandalised and set on fire. This is very disturbing and we request the local authorities to take adequate measures to bring to book the miscreants who are threatening to weaken the social fabric of this great nation”, the Archbishop said.
“At around 4.19 am, a person came on a scooter while another on a motorcycle. They broke the glass, then returned a minute later and toppled the statue,” said Assistant Priest Father Balraj of Our Lady of Graces Church.
The incident came to light at around 6:30 am when Balraj reached the church following which he called police.
“A police team led by senior officials rushed to the spot. A crime and forensics team picked circumstantial evidence from the crime scene. We have recorded the statements of Father Balraj and other people and a case has been registered,” said a senior police official.
The official also said that police suspect that the attackers were drunk and the damage was caused to fulfill a bet placed among the friends as the person who broke the glass pane is seen bowing his head and folding hands before committing the act.
“This is very clear that it is a planned and orchestrated attack which is caught on CCTV. It is up to the police now to take strict action in the case,” said Father Savarimuthu Sankar, spokesperson of the Delhi Catholic Archdiocese.
He also said that there is a clear pattern in these attacks and a “political strategy” to instigate religious feelings ahead of the upcoming Delhi elections cannot be ruled out.
Delhi Archbishop Anil JT Couto has expressed deep concern at growing number of attacks on churches in Delhi.
“A clear pattern of orchestrated attacks on churches is emerging as more and more churches are targeted, vandalised and set on fire. This is very disturbing and we request the local authorities to take adequate measures to bring to book the miscreants who are threatening to weaken the social fabric of this great nation”, the Archbishop said.
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