Navi Mumbai church attack: 4 held after Maharashtra CM's warning

Navi Mumbai: Three days after the attack on a church here, police on Tuesday claimed to have cracked the case with the arrest of four persons.

"Four persons have been arrested in connection with the attack on the Saint George Catholic church," Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner K L Prasad told PTI.

The IPS officer, however, refused to share further details at the moment. Under fire from the opposition, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday had set a 48 hour deadline to police to nab the culprits. The Opposition members on Monday had walked out of the Assembly in protest against the incident. Police had announced a reward of Rs 10,000 for any information leading to the arrest of the accused. Fadnavis is likely to make a statement in the House later on Tuesday.

According to Khandeshwar police, the attack was carried out by two masked persons, who were riding pillion on a motorcycle at around 1.30 AM on Saturday when they hurled stones at the Saint George Catholic church located near a bridge in New Panvel.

In the incident, the covering glass outside the statue of Saint George got damaged. The trio, comprising the biker and the two pillion riders, were covering their faces, a police official said.

An offence has been registered against the unidentified men under sections 295 (injuring or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) and 427 (mischief) of the IPC, police said. The church was built in 2007 and can accommodate over 800 people for prayer.