Centre seeks report on Chhattisgarh church 'attack'

New Delhi, Mar 7: The Centre today sought a report from Chhattisgarh government on the vandalisation of a church near Raipur and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said the guilty will not be spared.

"We have sought a report from Chhattisgarh government on the incident. Police have already taken necessary action and the guilty will not be spared," Rijiju, the Minister of State for Home, told reporters here.

Nine people have been arrested in connection with the vandalisation of a church on the outskirts of Raipur.

Of the nine held, six are minors. A group of about 15-20 youths allegedly sporting saffron headbands had yesterday "barged" into the church while prayers were underway and vandalised the premises and thrashed those present there.

President of Chhattisgarh's Christian Forum, Arun Pannalal, has alleged that the attackers even targeted women and an infant.

Pannalal claimed that yesterday's incident was the fourth attack on a Christian place of worship in the past one month in the state.

PTI