Investigation criticized in central Indian anti-Christian attack

In the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, Hindu extremists have attacked a truck en route to a Jhapadra church carrying statues depicting scenes from the Via Crucis.

Two statues were destroyed and the driver and his two aides were assaulted, but did not suffer serious injuries.

“Before they reached the parish house they asked a few persons [directions],” says Bishop Devprasad John Ganawa from the diocese of Jhabua. “But before they could reach the parish – and they were about one kilometre away – they were stopped.”

Slow progress in the police investigation has been criticized by the local Church following Friday’s incident. On Wednesday, the Archbishop of the state capital Bhopal, Leo Cornelio, met with the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh to discuss what else could be done to find the attackers.

Bishop Ganawa has called this incident “an attempt to intimidate the vulnerable minority Christian population of our diocese and India.”

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