Angry crowd vandalizes village church in India ‎

An angry crowd of villagers on Sunday vandalized a newly blessed Catholic church belonging to the Archdiocese of Hyderabad in southern India’s Telengana state.   The 21 May incident took place in the Church of Our Lady of Fatima at Godamakunta, in the village of Keesara.   The village head led a group of assailants and destroyed the crucifix, the statue of the Virgin of Fatima and other things.  The church dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima was consecrated by Archbishop Thumma Bala just a week ago on May 13, the day when the Catholic Church worldwide celebrated the centenary of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary at Fatima, Portugal.  

"This act of desecration, vandalism and the destruction of statues deeply wounds the religious feelings of the Catholic community. We are very upset,"  Archbishop Bala lamented Archbishop Bala in comments to AsiaNews.   He said Catholics will lead a "reparation service after the police have completed the investigation." Then he regretfully adds that the religious building had been blessed and inaugurated just a week ago.

According to the police, a land dispute was behind the assault.  M. Surender, village police inspector, reported that the landowner, a man named George Reddy, asked the district administration permission to build a church on a plot of about 900 sqm, but approval had not arrived as yet.  Sub-inspector Anantha Chary, sub-inspector, argued that church hurt the sentiments of the villagers.  After gathering at the residence of the village headman they went to raid the church.  "The furious residents claimed that the landlord built the church illegally. We have denounced them for revolt, " Chary said.

Sajan K George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), denounced the incident saying, “The church has been vandalized and destroyed by anti-social elements, most likely belonging to groups of nationalist extremists." "The GCIC is outraged by the sacrilegious destruction of about 100 people who tore down the interior of the church and all the decorations."  A case has been filed against violence, damage, voluntary injuries, criminal intimidation and other charges.  (Source: AsiaNews)