Three Arrested After Church, Prayer Hall Torched In Madhya Pradesh

Three men have been arrested for torching and vandalising a church and a prayer hall in Narmadapuram district of Madhya Pradesh.  The church, located in Chaukipura area, which has a considerable tribal population, was set ablaze on Sunday. Some religious texts and furniture were destroyed in the fire. At a prayer hall in Chauki Pura village, furniture was found burnt and word 'Ram' written on the wall.

Sources said two of the arrested men -- Akash Tiwari and Avanish Pandey -- are residents of Uttar Pradesh. The third member of the group is Shiva Rai, a 28-year-old electrician. Avanish Pandey, a resident of Ayodhya, holds an MBA degree. Akash Tiwari lives in Jhansi, sources said. 

After the initial questioning, police sources said Akash not only sent Avanish the Google locations of the targets, but also paid him. Money was transferred to Avanish's bank account.

Sources said the recent incidents of setting ablaze copies of Ramcharitmanas could have been a trigger for the crimes.

Copies of extracts of Ramcharitmanas was burnt by activists of an OBC (other Backward Classes) outfit in Lucknow last month in support of ex-UP minister and Samajwadi Party MLC Swami Prasad Maurya's objection to certain verses in the Hindu religious epic.

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

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).