21 Held for Janwada Church Attack So Far, Caste Enmity Behind Attack, Say police
Hyderabad: The police arrested on Thursday arrested 11 more persons in connection with the vandalism of the Methodist Church of Janwada village on February 13 and said the incident was one of a rivalry between two groups over laying a CC road in the village.
Cyberabad police commissioner Avinash Mohanty said that a police picket has been put up to prevent the entry of outsiders to the village and that prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC will continue till February 21.
Mohanty told Deccan Chronicle: “So far, 21 persons who are suspects in this case have been apprehended. The police is on the lookout for some more suspects and the officers are checking the CCTV footage, having identified 29 accused in all.”
B. Shamkar Luke, vice-chairman of the State Christian Minority Commission, said, “The government will send a strong message to anti-social elements by identifying and penalising those involved, so that such incidents do not repeat.”
According to Mokila police, villagers Thonta Bikshapati, Nyalata Krishna and Hanmanthugalla Raju had approached village incharges Talari Maisaiah, Goudicherla Narsimha and Eedulakanti Gopal to request them to allow them to build a CC road. The incharges refused permission, got incensed by their request and hurled casteist slurs at them, threatening them with dire consequences.
As the accused called their associates, numbering around 200, the victims hit in the church. The group followed them, damaged the doors and windows of the church, and started hurling stones and sticks indiscriminately. “They damaged the roofing sheets and siluva (Cross), injuring 12 persons severely,” a police officer said.
Criminal cases were filed against the accused on a complaint lodged by the Scheduled Castes Rights Protection Society representative K. Balaiah.
“Cases of criminal trespass, causing damage to religious property, outraging religious feelings, rioting armed with deadly weapons, causing bleeding injuries, criminal intimidation and under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have been filed against the accused,” said Narsingi ACP S. Laxminarayana, investigation officer (IO) in the case.
The attackers were identified as Talari Maisaiah, Goudicherla Narsimha, Edulakanti Gopal, Kummari Srinu, Kummari Prashanth, Beerla Krishna, Katna Veeresham, Mothkupally Prashanth, Bijana Srikanth, Anthagiri Anil Goud, Katna Venkatesh, Goudicherla Srisailam, Shetty Darshan, Shetty Ganesh Goud, Shetty Vamshi Goud, Beerla Yadagiri, M. Srinu, T. Veeresham, B. Raju, A. Vinay, T. Aravind, A. Shravan, E. Nuduram, K. Rakesh, A. Arun, T. Mani Bhushan, Katna Jaipal, Baigala Sailu and Balija Santhosh Kumar.
