Bajrang Dal Thugs Attack Church in Nagpur district, Maharashtra

The Hindu, April 19, 2009

Bajrang Dal activists 'attack' church in Nagpur

Nagpur (PTI) About 15 to 20 Bajrang Dal activists today allegedly attacked a church in Saoner here, police said.

"About 15 to 20 Bajrang Dal men attacked the church when faithfuls were offering the Sunday service prayers," Superintendent of Police, Rural, C Wakde told PTI.

The activists also reportedly misbehaved with women and disrupted the prayer meeting, Mr. Wakde added.

No arrests were made so far, he added.

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Times of India

Bajrang Dal activists vandalise church in Maharashtra town
19 Apr 2009, 1617 hrs IST, IANS

SAVNER (Maharashtra): Nearly two dozen activists of the Hindu right-wing organization Bajrang Dal allegedly attacked and vandalized a church in a
Mahrashtra town Sunday morning, police said.

"Nearly two dozen activists, armed with sticks, barged into the Douglas Memorial
Church here around 11am when the late Sunday morning prayer service was in progress," investigating officer DG Gavi of Savner Police Station, said shortly after the incident.

As the scared churchgoers - nearly 100 attending the service - dispersed, the Bajrang Dal activists went on a rampage and destroyed several chairs and tables inside the church, Gavi said.

The priest of the church, Fr. Ramred Paul M. Sakhardevkar (53), who recognized some of the attackers, later lodged a complaint with the police, naming some of them including Sonu Bharaiya, Trambak Nanere, Bharadwaj and Dube, according to Gavi.

Savner, with a population of around 35,000, including 1,500 Christians, is located in Nagpur district in eastern Maharashtra.

Gavi said that security has been deployed in the vicinity of the church and police are on the lookout for the culprits who have absconded. The motive behind the attack is not known, he said.