5 booked for setting Gurdaspur pastor’s house afire
GURDASPUR : Police booked five persons on Sunday for setting on fire the residence of a pastor at Kaler Kalan near Dhariwal in Gurdaspur district on Saturday night.
In the incident, three copies of holy book (Bible) and other religious literature were also burnt, the pastor has alleged.
While one of the accused was identified as Tarsem of the same village, identity of the four was yet to be ascertained, police said.
In his complaint, pastor Vijay Kumar said he had gone to meet his family at Bhambri village when he was informed by one of his relatives that smoke was coming out from his house.
He told police that his relative Thurhu Masih, who lives in the neighbourhood, told him about smoke coming out of his house. “Masih went to my house and found Tarsem and four others there,” he said.
Masih also claimed that the accused hurled stones and bricks at him, but he escaped unhurt. The five managed to flee, he claimed.
Pastor said, “When I returned, I found locks of the house broken and three copies of the Bible and other religious literature burnt. My clothes, laptop and cash kept in a steal box in the other room were also destroyed in the fire.”
He said a new church was being built in the village and the panchayat had given him the house till the construction of church was completed.
On receiving information about the incident, Punjab Church Protection Committee president Rakesh William and others arrived at the spot and held a protest.
William urged police to arrest the accused and threatened of protests across the state if justice was denied to the community.
Dhariwal deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Sucha Singh Bal, Dhariwal naib tehsildar Nirmal Singh, SHO Paramjit Singh reached the spot and controlled the situation.
DSP Bal said, “On the statement of the pastor, a case was registered against the accused at the Dhariwal police station and teams were dispatched to nab the miscreants.”
A case was registered against the accused under sections 295-A (hurting religious sentiments), 436 (mischief by fire to destroy house), 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt) and 34 (acts of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), he added.