Central team discusses Church attacks in K'taka

Mangalore, Sep 23: A two-member Union Home Ministry team reached Karnataka on Tuesday, Sep 23 to review the steps taken to control the violence, following fresh attacks on churches in various districts of the state.

The team led by M L Kumawat, Special Secretary (Internal Security) held discussions with the Karnataka police about the recent attacks on churches in Mangalore. The central team would be visiting the places where incidents took place. "We will be going to the places where incidents took place and thereafter I will visit hospitals, where the injured have been admitted. Then we will go to Udupi," Kumawat told reporters. The team, which includes Joint Secretary (Internal Security), A K Yadav, met Director General of Police and other concerned officials in Bangalore.

Meanwhile, H D Deve Gowda, former Prime Minister and president of the Janata Dal (Secular) staged a sit-in protest on Tuesday in New Delhi demanding protection of minorities in the country. Gowda along with members of Christian, Muslim and Sikh communities held placards and raised slogans against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government in Karnataka for the attack on Christian institutions.

The BJP Government in Karnataka says the attacks on Christians were politically motivated to discredit the State Government. So far, more than 270 people have been arrested for the violence in Karnataka.

ANI