- Bishop, priests, women injured at Bengal church inauguration.
- Group of 30-35 vandalized church, assaulted attendees.
- Police investigating incident in South 24 Parganas.
State Bureau, Kolkata: A Bishop and other priests were injured after vandalism, and an assault was reported at an inaugural ceremony of a church in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on Sunday.
According to police, a group of 30-35 people entered the church premises in Narayantala under Basanti police station area and assaulted those present, including Bishop Subrata Chakraborty.
The police have launched an investigation into the incident after a formal complaint was registered. The complainants have alleged that the women were also injured in the assault. They were allegedly asked to remove their traditional shakha-pola (white bangles) before being forced to leave the premises.
The attackers also allegedly damaged the church's cross and broke the mobile phones of people trying to film the incident. Church members allege that the accused also threatened them not to hold religious activities on the premises.
The Bangiya Christiya Parishad (BCP) has condemned the incident. The organisation's founding state secretary and executive president, Herod Mullick, said several priests were assaulted during the inauguration ceremony in the presence of the bishop.
He alleged that organised groups were targeting the peaceful minority community and such incidents were taking place due to a lack of adequate fear of administrative action.
Christian families assaulted in Medinipur
The latest incident comes two weeks after three families who had converted to Christianity in Medinipur district filed a police complaint, alleging pressure from some people to renounce their religion. They also alleged assault in their complaint.
These families, who had converted to Christianity about 18 months ago, had also complained of being forced to participate in some religious rituals against their will.