Keonjhar/Anandapur/Hatadihi: An irate mob registering protest against alleged sexual torture and impregnation of a physically challenged minor girl allegedly vandalised a church in a remote village in Keonjhar district Monday, police said.
The attack on the church took place early Monday morning at Murgagotha village under Anandapur police station jurisdiction after around 100 locals rushed towards the place of worship to ransack. They unbolted the main entrance of the church and vandalised the furniture while setting it on fire, said Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Kamalakanta Panda.
The alleged rape of a visually impaired minor girl by a local youth and the victim later getting impregnated provoked the violence. The alleged rape was reported about four months back. Since then, the accused has evaded arrest though police launched a manhunt to nab him. The rape-related pregnancy came to light Sunday. That led the sections of a particular community to launch an attack on the church, said SDPO Panda.
The village is home to around 85 households of which residents of nearly 40 houses are followers of Christianity. The sleepy village had not witnessed incidents of communal flare-up earlier, said sources. Though tension mounted in the village, it was diffused with timely arrival of police.
Situation has been brought under control. Adequate police deployment has been made at the troubled village, informed the police officer. “A peace committee meeting involving representatives of religious groups has been convened. We are trying to restore peace and harmony in the village,” added the police officer. The incident comes close on the heels of an attack on a church in Dengasargi village of Rayagada district last month.
PNN