The Hindu : Front Page : Church targeted, Infant Jesus statue damaged

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Friday, Oct 10, 2008
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Church targeted, Infant Jesus statue damaged

Staff Reporter

Tight vigil at places of worship; Hindu Munnani activists held

Special teams formed to nab the culprits
Police protection sought for places of worship

— Photo: M. Periasamy

VICTIM OF VANDALISM: The damaged glass and the desecrated statue of Infant Jesus at St. Francis Assisi Church in Coimbatore on Thursday.

COIMBATORE: A church in Coimbatore city was targeted on Thursday even as the police in Erode arrested four activists of the Hindu Munnani for Tuesday’s attacks on two churches in that district.

Early on Thursday, a statue of Infant Jesus was found desecrated at the St. Francis Assisi church at Athipalayam Pirivu near Ganapathy in Coimbatore.

The statue and the glass enclosure in which it was kept were found broken.

According to A. Aruldas, State president of National Minorities Movement and Parish Priest C.S. Madalimuthu, the desecration was noticed around 4.45 a.m.

The incident led to tense moments in the area and members of the church gathered in large numbers.

Commissioner of Police K.C. Mahali ordered an inquiry. Based on a complaint, police registered cases under Section 295 of the Indian Penal Code (for the desecration of a statue with a view to hurting the religious sentiments of a community), Section 448 (criminal trespass) and Section 427 (mischief causing damage). Special teams have been formed to nab the culprits.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) S. Rajendran said vigil was stepped up at all places of worship with a round-the-clock watch over important ones. Police pickets were posted and patrolling had begun.

Members of Christian organisations sought armed police protection for places of worship. Vigil was also stepped up in Tirupur. Erode Staff Reporter writes:

The Kavindapady police in Erode district arrested four Hindu Munnani activists in connection with Tuesday’s attacks on two churches. A. Nagarajan, town secretary of the Hindu Munnani at Kavindapady, M. Marudachalam alias Marudhu and M. Raja, both activists of the Munnani were initially arrested. The motorcycle used during the attacks was seized.

Later, A. Sivasakthi, treasurer of Hindu Munnani’s Kavindapady unit was arrested, for his alleged involvement. The four were produced before Judicial Magistrate in Gobichettipalayam and remanded to custody.

The number of persons arrested in connection with such incidents since Saturday has increased to six. A former watchman of a school at Melakondapalli in Krishnagiri District was arrested on Tuesday for removing a statue of Mother Mary and damaging another at the school late on Saturday.

A resident of Cheran Nagar II was arrested on Tuesday at Karamadai in Coimbatore district on charges of damaging the statue of Mother Mary installed on the compound wall of another resident in that colony around midnight on Saturday.

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