Church Torched In Madhya Pradesh Village, "Ram" Written On Wall Inside

A group of unidentified people torched and defiled a church in Madhya Pradesh's Narmadapuram district, police said on Monday. Locals found burnt furniture inside, walls blackened with smoke from the fire, and 'Ram' written on the wall inside the Christian prayer hall in Chauki Pura village in tribal dominated Sukhtawa block of the district. A case was filed under Indian Penal Code Section 295 (Injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class)against unidentified accused.

According to initial investigation, the vandals entered the place of worship, built around five years ago and located 40 km from the district headquarters, by removing a window net and burnt it from inside, Gurukaran Singh, Superintendent of Police, Narmadapuram, said.

Some religious texts and other items including furniture were also destroyed in the fire, an official said, quoting a complaint filed in connection with the incident.

The church, located in Sukhtawa village of Kesala block, was connected to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, locals said.

Another communal face-off over the forcible installing of a Hanuman idol in a Muslim man's house in the state's Khandwa city was reported today. The police used force to disperse both sides, which was met with stone pelting, injuring four police personnel. Three cases under different sections of the IPC pertaining to house-trespassing, attempt to murder, and rioting were filed. Five men have been detained so far. The main accused in the incident is a self-styled Hindu leader, Ravi Awhad.