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An
alleged aide of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, prime
accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, has been
arrested for his involvement in various attacks on
churches in Delhi and a churchworker's murder in Noida
in the past one year.
The Delhi Police arrested Shailendra Chauhan (25) alias
Uday Pratap Singh from Harsh Vihar area in northeast
Delhi on Thursday night.
So far, we've found his involvement in three cases of
assault and attack on Christian priests and churches in
Noida and Delhi, said S.S. Yadav, deputy commissioner of
police (north east).
On September 14, Chauhan had reportedly vandalised and
desecrated a church at Sarita Vihar in south Delhi. The
police said on October 19, he had killed Conrad Dominic
Xavier (25) who was working for a priest at a church at
Sector 20 in Noida.
On January 5, Chauhan had attacked a priest with a
poison-filled injection at a church at Sector 34 in
Noida, the police said. A case of attempt to murder was
registered against him at the time.
The police said Chauhan owes allegiance to the Vishwa
Hindu Mahasangh and Abhinav Bharat, a Hindu nationalist
organisation. "During preliminary interrogation, Chauhan
confessed his role in the three cases," said Yadav. "He
was trying to meet another person involved in cases of
vandalism and arson at churches.”
The police claimed Chauhan had disclosed his links with
Sadhvi Pragya Singh. The sadhvi is one of the prime
accused in the Malegaon blast of September 29, 2008.
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