Haryana village tense after church attack

An uneasy calm prevailed in Kaimri near Hisar, Haryana, on Monday a day after a group of villagers first vandalised an under-construction Church and then hoisted a saffron flag with “Sri Ram” inscribed on it.

As tension escalated in the village, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was left assuring legislators on the floor of the House on Monday that the “guilty will be brought to justice and law will take its course.”

There are also reports suggesting that the sacred cross was replaced with an idol of Lord Hanuman at the site. At least nine people have been booked by the police so far.
An unholy situation had been brewing in the village for some time now. Villagers had been enraged over attempts by the priest to convert, or persuade, villagers into adopting Christianity.

A part of the under construction church now stands demolished. Complainant and Father of the church Subhash Chand late on Sunday lodged a complaint against 14 people.

All have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for rioting, promoting enmity between groups, destroying, damaging a place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class of persons, theft and criminal intimidation.

The incident gave fodder to the Opposition Congress which cried foul over the incident in the state Assembly on Monday.

The police said the situation is under control. Sarpanch Dalbir Singh said the priest had bought the land from a society to build a house but instead started to construct a “Believers Church” at the site.  He said Chand has been involved in converting some villagers into Christianity by luring them with money and food, a charge rubbished by the priest.