Posted by on April 02, 19102 at 11:32:18:
Asian Age April 24, 2000
Bajrang attacks Christians in Agra
By Our Correspondent Hyderabad, April 23
Less than a fortnight after a Chris-tian priest and two nuns were assaulted at Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, a
Christian group from Hyderabad was attacked and Biblical literature was set on fire by the Bajrang Dal
activists on the outskirts of Agra.
The Bajrang Dal lodged a first information report with the Jagdishpura police station alleging that the
14-member Christian group, which had come to Agra on Good Fri-day, was trying to convert villagers by
offering them money, the police officials said.
In Hyderabad, it was confirmed that a delegation of the Hebron Church located at Golconda crossroads had
gone to Agra. Samuel, a pastor with Hebron Church, told The Asian Age that they were still awaiting details of
the Agra incident. ?We were informed via telephone on Sunday morning that members of the Hebron were
confined in the police station for more than an hour before being let off.?
According to his information, the police told the members of the church not to carry out their activities as it
might create trouble and then let them off after an hour.
In Agra, the police sources said the Christian delegation was arrested but later released on the intervention of
deputy inspector-general of police (Agra Range) Arvind Jain.
Dharmendra Sharma, Baj-rang Dal co-convener for Brij Pradesh, said the Biblical literature was set aflame by
some volunteers of the Dal and residents of Nagla Ajita on Saturday night. The sources said the Hebron
Church delegation has also lodged a complaint with the police alleging that about 20-30 people surrounded
their van, snatched the Biblical literature and then burnt it.
Some members of the group were also beaten up and an attempt was made to set the van on fire, the
complaint lodged by the group said.
-- Tanya Newar,
Dalitstan Journal,
Volume 2, Issue 3 (April 2000)