Pastor, church attacked in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW - A group of people vandalised a church and assaulted the pastor, accusing him of carrying out forceful conversions in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur district, police said Friday.

Five people have been detained for attacking Dayalu Suna, the pastor, late Thursday at the church in Kalyanpur, some 80 km from Lucknow.

“Those who attacked the pastor should have approached us if they believed he indulged in forceful conversions. Anyhow, we have initiated an enquiry into the case to verify the charges made by locals against the pastor,” Inspector M. Qazi said.

“Security in Kalyanpur area, particularly around the church, has also been strengthened,” he added.

According to the police, the mob also tried to attack some students and a teacher of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, who had come to the church to attend a function.

However, they were rescued by the timely intervention of police.