Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

Office of church rector attacked

Staff Reporter

VIJAYAWADA: The office-cum-residence of the rector of the Gunadala Mary Matha church, G. Balaswamy, was ransacked by a few members belonging to the church on Sunday afternoon. Furniture and a car and motorcycle were damaged in the attack.

The trouble began when Father Balaswamy made an announcement after the morning prayers that he was planning to expand the church development committee by including some new members.

Father Balaswamy told presspersons that a group consisting of 15 members led by one of the committee members, V. David Raju, entered into his office after the prayers and raised objections over the proposal. The rector alleged that David Raju hurled invectives at him.

"The same group came again around 2 pm and destroyed furniture. They threw flowerpots on my car. The attack continued for about 15 minutes. I called the police, the moment the attackers left the church's premises," he said.

The Bishop of the Vijayawada Diocese, Mallavarapu Prakash, visited the scene to take stock of the situation. Assistant Commissioner of Police M. Satyanarayana Rao visited the spot. Based on a complaint from Father Balaswamy, the Machavaram police registered a case against V. David Raju, Francis, Vanga Ezekiel and 12 others under Sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 452 (trespass into house), 427 (damaging property) and 506 (threatening) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

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