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Uttarakhand police book 200 people for vandalising Church in Roorkee
The mob vandalised the Church and also physically manhandled some Christian devotees and representatives who tried to calm them down and intervene.
The Uttarakhand police has booked 200 people for allegedly vandalising a Church in Roorkee while Sunday prayers were going on there, accusing people running it of converting locals to their faith. The accused have been booked for rioting, theft, trespassing and voluntarily causing hurt under varied sections of Indian Penal Code.
The incident occurred at Solanipuram Colony in Roorkee where the Church is located.
According to people offering prayers, around 10 am, a mob comprising of some women also, arrived in the prayer hall raising slogans against church missionaries.
The mob, comprising of right-wing activists, alleged Christian missionaries and worshippers of carrying out religious conversion of some Hindus under the garb of charity work in the area.
The mob vandalised the Church and also physically manhandled some Christian devotees and representatives who tried to calm them down and intervene.
“Following the preliminary investigation, a case has been filed against 200 people. An inspector rank officer has been directed to look into the matter,” said Circle Officer Roorkee Vivek Kumar.
Kumar said police has registered a case of rioting, theft, trespassing and voluntarily causing hurt under varied sections of Indian Penal Code at Civil Lines police station.
Station house officer Civil Lines Amarchand Sharma said that police reached the spot as soon as they got information about the violence. He said police deployment has been done at the place with senior police officials also visiting the prayer house.
N Wilson, who is associated with the Church for the past few years, denied allegations of religious conversion or any such activity happening at the place of worship.
He said for the past two decades regular prayers, mass meetings and charity related activities were being carried out from the Church.
Madan Kaushik, BJP state president said that religious conversion would not be allowed in the state. Kaushik also questioned the prayer house being called a church by some sections of the society. He claimed it is not a church but a residence where suspicious gatherings were being held.
Congress state vice president Dhirendra Pratap condemned the hooliganism and targeting of Christians by right-wing Hindu activists blaming BJP for fuelling communal tension ahead of assembly election in the state.
