Yet Another Church Attack Adds To the List Of Increasing Violence Against Christianity

Considering a streak of vandalism of churches, church officials have repeatedly emphasised the idea of a concerted attack on Christians in India. In some cases, evidence hasn't been on their side. Nonetheless, no matter how we look at it, India hasn't provided the kind of safety people of any denomination deserve.

22 March 2015: Jabalpur Church Attack

A church and a school premises were vandalised and some members of the Christian community assaulted and threatened allegedly by activists of right wing Hindu outfits Dharma Sena and Bajrang Dal who accused them of carrying out conversion at Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh. Police have booked leader of Dharma Sena, Yogesh Agarwal, and some others in connection with the incident that took place on March 20, but no arrests have been made so far. The church authorities claimed that the attackers, who included activists of the Bajrang Dal, stormed into a Cathedral premises and a school housing a grotto with St Mary's idol, alleging religious conversion had been taking place there.

They broke earthen pots and and shattered glass panes of windows at the parsonage, accusing vicar Father Thankachan Jose of converting the Hindus to Christianity.

13 February 2015: Holy Child Auxilium School

Delhi Police commissioner BS Bassi has described the incident as a case of theft. '' Our investigations have revealed that it's a case of theft. The CCTV footage has revealed so too. A probe is on,'' said Bassi. Father Mathew Koyickal, member of the Delhi archdiocese, who went inside the church after the incident said, '' It looks like a case of theft. Yes they have broken a glass pane but it is too early to say it is a case of vandalism.''

This is not a case of vandalism, no religious articles have been touched. : Sister Lucy, Principal pic.twitter.com/r4tPGdbvZ9

¡ª ANI (@ANI_news) February 13, 2015

2 February 2015: St. Alphonsa Church

Unidentified persons broke into the church on early Monday and took away the ciborium after scattering the Holy Eucharist on the ground. They ignored the donation box and many gold-planted chalices in the antechamber.

Father Koyickal, however, said the attackers did not want to steal. ¡°The only thing stolen from the church is a steel chalice. It does not cost more than Rs 200. If they were here to steal, why was the money collection box untouched? They aimed straight for the Eucharist. Police are trying to play down the incident by calling it a robbery. But it is clearly a case of desecration.¡±

14 January 2015: Our Lady of Grace

Police arrested the vandals who broke the glass pane of a church in Vikaspuri and found that the three accused were high on alcohol and had bet over who could commit the act. The accused are residents of Tilak Nagar and were returning from a Lohri celebration when they decided to place the bets.

3 January 2015: Church of Resurrection

A Christmas crib kept on church premises in Rohini, northwest Delhi, was mysteriously burned to ashes early Saturday morning. Church authorities said somebody threw "inflammable fluid" from outside which led to the fire. Security has been intensified in the area. The crib is an auspicious manifestation of Jesus as a poor child born in a stable and its burning was a deliberate act to disturb communal harmony, church authorities said.

"The CCTV footage shows that some inflammable substance was thrown from outside the church," said Father Savarimuthu Sankar, spokesperson of the church. "The miscreants knew where the CCTV camera was fixed in the church as nobody's face was captured in it." He added, "The police say it is a case of short circuit when it is clear in the footage that something was thrown."

1 December 2015: St Sebastian's Church

A mysterious, early morning fire destroyed one of East Delhi's big churches, St Sebastian's Church in Dilshad Garden, prompting allegations of foul play by the Christian community. The blaze reduced to ashes the church's interior, including the altar, the Holy Bible, Cross and all images and statues. Several churchgoers stood outside the charred remains of the 13-year-old shrine the entire afternoon, protesting against what they believed was a planned assault.

In the wake of the suspected arson attack on a church in Delhi last week, the minister informed the Lok Sabha that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the matter.

With inputs from Raj Shekhar,TNN | Aman Sharma, ET Bureau | Suhas Munshi, TNN | IANS