Bihar: Suspected Bajrang Dal activists thrash people at Christian prayer meet

Jehanabad (Bihar), Jan 12: A prayer meeting of Christians was disrupted in Bihar by a group of activists, allegedly belonging to Bajrang Dal. The incident took place on Sunday in Jehanabad town which is around 55 km from Patna.

People were thrashed by the activists and they also vandalized the Christian bhawan (building), police said.

Alleging that the prayer meeting this evening at Madhav Nagar locality was being used to convert people to Christianity, the attackers disrupted the Sunday gathering which was being attended by around 50 people, thrashed those present and damaged chairs and musical instruments, Jehanabad Superintendent of Police (SP) Ansuiya Ransingh Sahu said.

The incident created panic among the small Christian community -- who demanded police protection for their security.

"We have detained two suspected Bajrang Dal activists with regard to the incident. Further investigations are going on to trace the culprits," Sahu said.

Later, they also blocked National Highway 83 connecting state capital Patna to Gaya district.

According to police, the activists attacked the building at Jehanabad because the Christian priest at the bhawan had allegedly lured poor Hindus into converting. The latter told the police that some people had informed them that Christians had been practising conversion at the bhawan.

"The fact was that local Christian residents used to gather at the bhawan for weekly prayers as well as to socialise with each other. There was no evidence of conversion," police officials said.

The SP said the prayer meet was being held at the small place for the last six years.

In the last one-and-half months, more than 200 poor Hindus, mostly Mahadalits, embraced Christianity across the state.

The right-wing Hindu organisations -- RSS, VHP and Bajrang Dal -- have alleged that the poor Hindus were lured into conversion.

(With inputs from agencies)

OneIndia News