REFUGEE

Police in Tamil Nadu are investigating if explosives were used to damage a CSI church in Nagercoil on Sunday.

Officials found explosive chemicals near the church at Gnanam Nagar in Thammaththukonam after it suffered a minor damage in a suspected blast.

Media reported that sniffer dog and finger print experts were pressed into service after the visit of Superintendent of Police Shanmugavel.

The CSI bishop of Kanyakumari Rev. G Devakadaksham has demanded action against the miscreants behind the blast. He also pleaded for protection to worship places during Christmas.

Apparently there was a second church as well which was attacked by anti-social elements in the state.

The second attack was at CSI Robertson Church at Sulur in Coimbatore.

According to the Times of India, the attack on the church followed a few hours after the Hindu Munnani (a right-wing Hindu group) organised a meeting at the Dalit colony at Bharathipuram in Sulur.

At the meeting, the Hindu Munnani's taluk secretary, V Sivasamy, is said to have instigated the Dalit youths to oppose the minorities.

"Around 2 am on Monday, four Dalit youths, B Shankar, M Manjunathan, N Prabhakaran and P Rathish all construction labourers flung stones on the CSI Robertson church," the report said.

The window panes of the church were broken. The pastor of the church Rev. V Paulraj has lodged a complaint with the police.

The police have arrested five Hindu Munnani activists and remanded to judicial custody. "We have arrested the Hindu Munnani functionary, Sivasamy too for instigating the youth," DSP, STT Rajan told the news daily.