Two Church properties found damaged; Govt sets up Spl. probe

Aluva (Kerala), Sep 21 (UNI) Two Church properties were allegedly attacked by some miscreants at Akaparambu close to the Nedumbaserry International Airport, near Kochi, last night.

The Kerala Government has set up a Special Investigation Team to probe the incident.

Police said that a statue of Christ in a catholic cemetry was found damaged and the window panes of a nearby Jacobite Church were found broken this morning.

While the local police claimed that this was the work of a deranged person of the same community, Bishop Thomas Chakiyath and Metropolitan Elias Mar Athanios of the Jacobite Church described it as a ''well planned attack'' and sought strict action by the government to prevent such incidents.

Kerala Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, who visited the spot, told mediapersons that the government would not allow any mischief makers to disrupt the communal harmony in the state.

A Special Investigation Team, headed by Dy. SP P N Unnirajan was being set up to probe the incident, he said.

Local police did not confirm if any arrests had been made in this connection so far. However, unconfirmed reports said that a deranged man, suspected to be behind the incident, had been taken into custody.

UNI XR ARC KKS1750