Bajrang attacks Christians in Agra

Asian Age April 24, 2000
Bajrang attacks Christians in Agra
By Our Correspondent Hyderabad, April 23
Less than a fortnight after a Chris-tian priest and two nuns were assaulted at Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, a Christian group from Hyderabad was attacked and Biblical literature was set on fire by the Bajrang Dal activists on the outskirts of Agra.

The Bajrang Dal lodged a first information report with the Jagdishpura police station alleging that the 14-member Christian group, which had come to Agra on Good Fri-day, was trying to convert villagers by offering them money, the police officials said.

In Hyderabad, it was confirmed that a delegation of the Hebron Church located at Golconda crossroads had gone to Agra. Samuel, a pastor with Hebron Church, told The Asian Age that they were still awaiting details of the Agra incident. ?We were informed via telephone on Sunday morning that members of the Hebron were confined in the police station for more than an hour before being let off.?

According to his information, the police told the members of the church not to carry out their activities as it might create trouble and then let them off after an hour.

In Agra, the police sources said the Christian delegation was arrested but later released on the intervention of deputy inspector-general of police (Agra Range) Arvind Jain.

Dharmendra Sharma, Baj-rang Dal co-convener for Brij Pradesh, said the Biblical literature was set aflame by some volunteers of the Dal and residents of Nagla Ajita on Saturday night. The sources said the Hebron Church delegation has also lodged a complaint with the police alleging that about 20-30 people surrounded their van, snatched the Biblical literature and then burnt it.

Some members of the group were also beaten up and an attempt was made to set the van on fire, the complaint lodged by the group said.



-- Tanya Newar,
Dalitstan Journal,
Volume 2, Issue 3 (April 2000)
http://www.dalitstan.org/journal/genocide/christians/agrabajr.html