ADVERTISEMENT

Indian church burnt down in suspected arson

Though the cause of the fire has not been ascertained, Indian Christians have taken to the street to protest the nonchalant attitude of security authorities towards the incident and the persecution of Christians.

A church in Indian has been suspiciously set on fire as it was severely burnt down.

ADVERTISEMENT

The cause of the fire which happened on Monday, December 1, at the Saint Sebastian’s Church which is one of the biggest churches in East Delhi, is yet to be known but the Catholic Church in Delhi has said that the fire incident is suspected arson. The church was active till Sunday night, before being burnt early Monday morning about 6.00 a.m.

"The entire interior, including the Altar, the Holy Bible and Cross were reduced to ashes," the Delhi Catholic Archdiocese said in a statement.

Hundreds of Indian Christians stormed the police headquarters in Delhi to protest the burning of the church as they suspect that it was deliberately torched and also protested the delay of the forensic teams at the scene.

ADVERTISEMENT

“It is desecration of our religious place as well as our faith. The church has been damaged so badly that it needs to be rebuilt to be ready for prayers once again,” the parish priest Friar Anthony Francis said in a statement.

Friar Anthony Francis also pleaded with the protesters not to indulge in any sort of violence during the protests.

Hindu is the major religion in India although it is officially a secular nation. Christians comprise about 2.5 percent of the 1.2 billion person population.

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng

Recommended articles

Here's everything to know about being a virgin on your wedding night

Here's everything to know about being a virgin on your wedding night

7 do's and don’ts of the Holy month of Ramadan

7 do's and don’ts of the Holy month of Ramadan

Top 5 sweetest celebrity mother-child relationships that stand out for us

Top 5 sweetest celebrity mother-child relationships that stand out for us

International Women's Day: 5 Nigerian female celebrities championing women’s rights

International Women's Day: 5 Nigerian female celebrities championing women’s rights

Top 5 female directors in Nollywood

Top 5 female directors in Nollywood

6 things that will break a Muslim's fast during Ramadan

6 things that will break a Muslim's fast during Ramadan

5 benefits of fasting during Ramadan

5 benefits of fasting during Ramadan

5 reasons Easter was more fun when we were children

5 reasons Easter was more fun when we were children

Dos and don’ts of supporting Muslims during Ramadan

Dos and don’ts of supporting Muslims during Ramadan

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT