Church in Karnataka Set on Fire

(WWM)

A church in Chitradurga district, Karnataka, was set on fire by some unidentified miscreants of Sept 17.

At mid night, miscreants broke into Shalom Assembly of God, located in village B. G. Kere, Molakalmuru Taluk of the district, and burnt all the items including sacred sacraments and Bibles, according to Global Christian News.

"Around midnight some people came and informed me that my Church is set on fire from inside," said Pr Vaddar Nagaraja, 38, who leads the church and pastors about 150 regular attendants.

"On reaching the spot, I found out that all the items inside the Church were gathered at various corners and set on fire intentionally. By the time I reached, everything had turned to ashes," he added.

Bibles, literature, furniture and valuables worth about one lakh rupees were burnt, according to the report.

"An Amplifier, a home theatre, 24 chairs, 3 music and PA systems, a DVD player, 4 mikes, 40 Bibles, 150 DVD cassettes, sacred sacraments used for distributing Holy Communion, all the ceiling fans and valuable paintings lied in heaps of rubble on the floor," said Nagaraja.

No CCTV cameras were installed inside or outside the church.

"We never felt the need of the cameras as we have a very cordial relationship with all the people in the neighborhood and I have been running this Church for the past three years in this locality and never faced a problem," said Nagaraja.

A First Information Report was filed at a local police station on Sept. 18.

"The police have provided security to the Church during the nights since then but no arrests have taken place," said Nagaraja.