Prayer homes of Pentecostal church attacked in Madurai

Madurai: Prayer homes of Pentecostal church were attacked at two places here, allegedly by Hindu Munnani activists, police said. Quoting pastor Ravi Jacob, who lodged a complaint, they said the group burnt some pamphlets and copies of the Bible and abused pastors and the faithful at the homes at Koodal Nagar and Sikandar Chavadi areas on Sunday.

Jacob alleged that 10 people came to his house that day, took away copies of the Bible and damaged them. A clip of the group reportedly threatening the persons has gone viral. A case was registered yesterday against 10 Hindu Munnani activists, of whom three have been identified.

They said some of the activists, during initial questioning, denied that they had attacked the homes and had only staged protests against persons being allegedly lured for conversion. The activists said the complaint was a ploy so that some organisations could continue their “illegal conversions”.

Police said they had received complaints from the public that some prayer homes were being running illegally and demanding that these be closed. Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Latin Bishops’ Council had condemned the attacks and said it was an effort to “chase away” Christians who had a fundamental right to worship.

This was not a law and order problem, but denial of right to worship and destruction of secularism, the Constitution and democracy, Council president Anthony Pappusamy said in a statement.