House of church demolished in India by 200 masked men
Udaipur (Rajasthan in India), SVM News, August 5, 2007: Around 200 masked men demolished a building under construction belonging to the Catholic Church at Chavand in Udaipur district of Rajasthan State in India on August 5 before dawn.
The attackers came by vehicles and totally demolished the building on Saturday after midnight around 2 am.
"We were planning to construct a school and a hospital for the villagers after the completion of the residence," Rev. Father Paul Nimana, who is the priest of the center said to the Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service. "The building was nearing completion and only the roof was to be built," he said.
The property belong to the Catholic Diocese Society.
Rt. Rev. Joseph Pathil, the Catholic Bishop of Udaipur Diocese said that they suspecting the Vishwa Hindu Parishad behind the attack.
"The building was constructing as the residence of a priest. It was completely demolished," bishop Joseph Pathil said. "We have been also receiving telephone calls in the past warning us against going ahead with the construction of the building," bishop added.
"A certain Hindu militant belong to the VHP alongwith up-sarpanch of the village had earlier led the attack on a priest looking after the Chavand centre. The priest vacated the house by the force of those militants," bishop continued.
Several times christians in Udaipur were attacked by the Hindu radicals, accusing charges of conversion.
Some pastors and believers were attacked and handed over to the police during the month of April. More than 30 families had to flee the area when they were attacked and their homes destroyed.
Rev. Paul Ciniraj, the national president of the Christian Ministers of the Churches of India (CMCI) and the Director of the Salem Voice Ministries condemned the attack towards Christian Center in Chavand and demolishing the building of the church.
SALEM VOICE MINISTRIES NEWS SERVICE (SVM NEWS)
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