Delhi: Church in Dwarka vandalised allegedly by Hindutva group members, one arrested

11/29/2021: The attack reportedly took place when the warehouse-turned-church was holding its first Sunday prayer.

A warehouse-turned-church in Delhi’s Dwarka area was vandalised on Sunday allegedly by members of Hindutva group Bajrang Dal, reported the Millennium Post. The attack reportedly took place when the church was holding its first Sunday prayer.

“Police received information at 9.30 am on 28 November that a quarrel had broken out at a godown-turned-church on Matiala Road,” a police officer told The Quint. “On inquiry, it was found that a group of residents and local miscreants vandalised the board that read ‘church’.”

The police have registered two first information reports – one against those accused of vandalism for causing public nuisance and another against those present in the church for violating Delhi Disaster Management Act guidelines – at the local Bindapur police station. The guidelines prohibit large gatherings in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Delhi Disaster Management has allowed religious places to reopen for devotees, but the warehouse-turned-church had not been designated as religious premises, a police officer told Millennium Post.

One person has been arrested in connection with the vandalism, reported The Indian Express.

“Some people had gathered at a warehouse where they had put a board with word ‘CHURCH’ to which locals had objected as they claim it to have been done clandestinely,” said Dwarka Deputy Commissioner of Police Shankar Choudhary. He added that no one was injured in the incident.

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