South Delhi church vandalized: NHRC notice to Home Ministry, Delhi Govt

The NHRC has given 10 days time to give its report on the issue.

"The Commission intervened in the matter after taking suo motu cognizance of electronic media reports regarding the incident of breaking open the doors of St. Alphonsa's Church and defiling of the place of worship and the objects held sacred. It also received a telephonic information from Mr. Manoj V. George, Advocate alleging that in spite of a formal written complaint by Fr. Vincent Salvatore, Parish Priest, the police was not taking necessary and appropriate action by registering a proper FIR and commencing effective investigation," the NHRC said in a statement.

Unknown miscreants vandalized and allegedly desecrated a church in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj  on Monday.

"Earlier, the NHRC Member, Mr. Justice Cyriac Joseph, accompanied by some officers, visited the Church, yesterday. Fr. Vincent explained to the NHRC team, the nature and the extent of damage caused to the Church. According to him, the miscreants entered the Church by breaking open the front main door. The tabernacle on the main altar directly below the main crucifix was opened and the Chalice and the Monstrance were removed from the tabernacle and the Holy Communion Hosts were thrown around the place. The adjacent room called the Sacristy in which vestements/clothing and valuable articles like Chalice were kept was ransacked," it said.

"He alleged that the intention of the miscreants was not to commit theft or burglary, as neither the money kept in three offering boxes nor any valuable objects were taken away, but to desecrate the sanctity of the Church and to create a sense of insecurity in the minds of religious minority. He also expressed the apprehension that there was an attempt to downplay the incident as mere a theft or a burglary," read the statement.

"However, the ACP and the SHO, present on the spot, during the visit of the Member, denied the allegation and reports that the FIR had already been registered showing the offence as theft or burglary. The ACP assured that FIR would be registered on the basis of the written complaint dated 2nd February, 2015 and in the light of the statement recorded by the police from Fr. Vincent Salvatore. The police officer asserted that there was no inaction on the part of the police and the investigation would be conducted strictly and accordance with law," the statement said.

Members of the St Alphonsa's Church said the miscreants jumped the wall and broke opened the main gate and ransacked the belongings of the church between 1 am and 3 am. 

While police reached the spot and started investigating the matter  reportedly as a case of robbery first, the church officials said they are clueless what led to the attack and who were behind it. However, they felt it was a case of attack on their religion.

"It is a clear case of desecration," said a cleric of the church, adding that only those things which are sacred to them are vandalized and it is not just a case of robbery.

Delhi's Archbishop Anil JT Couto was quoted in media saying that the attacks are clearly in an orchestrated manner.