New Delhi, May 9, 2010: Fanatics attacked a church in Uttar Pradesh, North India and beaten pastor. Fanatics abused pastor’s wife and tried to strangle his one year and four months old son.

According to source reaching to All India Christian Council (aicc), the incident happened on May 6 (Thursday) at around 6 PM under Kalyanpur police station in Kanpur, when a prayer meeting was held for birthday of IIT Professor Sunderam Manohar’s son in side the church. A group of fanatics numbering up to 50, believed to be the members of Bajrang Dal (Hindutva militants), forcefully intruded inside the church and stopped the prayer meeting. They dragged Pastor Dalayu outside and beaten him severely. The fanatics also abused Pastor Dalayu’s wife Shanti and called her prostitute and alleged that she runs prostitute racket inside church. Fanatics also tried to kill Pastor Dalayu’s one year and four months old son by grabbing at neck. Church board was dismantled and threatened all the church members and accused them that involved in force and fraud conversion. Prof Manohar and pastor was attempted to kidnap by fanatics. Fanatics attacked on church, pastor and church members in the present of the media personnel, whom the fanatics brought along with them.

Kishor Sagar, Indian Evangelical Team’s UP coordinator reports to aicc, “The matter was reported to Kalyanpur police station. Police arrested two of the fanatics and latter released.” “While pastor Dalayu and Prof Sunderam were writing the complaint at police station, the fanatics along with political leaders came and asked for compromised and matter was sorted there without filing FIR,” says Kishor.

Aicc instructed Kishor Sagar and his colleagues to remember the importance of filing FIR (First Information Report) especially in such cases like this. The need of compromise will come only when equally crime is committed by both the parties. The crime committed by fanatics includes - forceful intrusion into private premises and religious sanctity, attempt to murder, attempt to kidnapped, abusing woman, hurting religious sentimental, defamation of church and provoking enmity between the local communities and physical assault.

Aicc is invited to organise a legal awareness one day seminar at Kanpur to help the pastors and church leaders in handling the situation like Pastor Dalayu’s case.