K'taka: Miscreants attack places of worship

Mangalore, Sep 14: In a shocking incident, miscreants attacked four Christian prayer centers in separate places in the undivided Dakshina Kannada district damaging furnitures and window panes this morning.

Police said that a monastery, CSI Church, Newlife prayer hall in the city and another Newlife Centre in Udupi have been severely damaged by the miscreants.

All the attacks took place between 0900 to 1000 hrs making it obvious that it was a carefully planned attack by the miscreants.

The Adoration monastery, where Adoration Cloister nuns reside, was also vandalized in the attack.

In the Holy Sacrament, chairs and other furniture items have been damaged. A mob gathered near the monastery and heightened the tension in the area.

The CSI Church near Kodikal has also been attacked and furniture badly damaged.

The sources said that a group of eight persons attacked the prayer centre at Madantyar when the devotees were participating in prayer. One person was injured in the attack.

About 50 chairs, fans and other furniture items were also damaged in the attack. The miscreants came in a jeep carrying wooden sticks, sources added.

About 15 persons attacked the prayer centre in Udupi and the furniture items have been damaged there.

At least five devotees suffered minor injuries in the attack.

Reports coming in here also said that there was attack by the miscreants on the prayer halls at Shiroor in Kundapura taluk and Karkala in Udupi district and Moodabidre in Daxina Kannada.

Meanwhile, the tolls of the church bells have been heard continuously all over Mangalore sending a peaceful message of alarm after the attacks.

A group of angry catholic youths today blocked Milagris- Hampankatta road in the heart of the city protesting against the alleged attack by the activists of Sangh Parivar.

Deputy Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao and other senior police officials who arrived at the spot were successful in pacifying the agitated group.

According to police sources, five Bajrang Dal activists have been arrested in the city in connection with the attack.

The state convener of Bajrang Dal Mahendra meanwhile today had clarified that the attack was not on catholic churches but on the Newlife groups who were allegedly indulged in the conversion of Hindus to Christianity.

UNI