Church set ablaze in Madhya Pradesh

Ratlam(MP), Sep 9: Heavy damage was caused to an old protestant church located in the Railway Colony here after a fire broke out, police said on .

The cause of fire was yet to be ascertained and few people were being interrogated, Superintendent of Police Umesh Joga said, adding contradictory versions were received from different people.

The fire was noticed early morning on Sunday and it was immediately doused by fire tenders. The damage was being assessed.

Church sources, however, blamed certain Hindu outfits for the incident at the 85-year-old church, one of the oldest Christian religious places in western Madhya Pradesh.

Several incidents of confrontations between Christian missionaries and Hindu outfits were reported from several parts of the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh in recent years mainly on the charge of converting poor and tribals into Christianity. Such an incident associated with this protstant church was reported recently, sources added.

UNI