A Catholic church in Karnataka has been attacked and its statues damaged, a Church official has said. Catholics in Honnavar, a coastal town in Uttara Kannada district, found the windows of their parish church’s grotto broken and several statues damaged on the morning of May 12.
“It follows a clear pattern of anti-Christian” incidents this state has witnessed since the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party government came to power, said Father Adolf Washington, the Bangalore archdiocesan spokesperson.
Father Washington said Archbishop Bernard Moras of Bangalore has spoken to Bishop Dereck Fernandes of Karwar, whose diocese covers the attacked parish, regarding the Church’s response. He said the parish priest has already filed a police complaint.
Media reports quoted police officials saying that they suspected several Hindu activists of being involved in the attack.
Reports said Honnavar has experienced some tension after Hindus mounted a public protest against a Christian man marrying a Hindu woman in the town.
Police said investigations have begun and the vandals would be arrested soon. They added that security has been beefed up in all religious places in the town.
SIC: CTHIND