By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Navi Mumbai: In an apparent case of religious intolerance, three Christians including a pastor were attacked by a group for distributing religious pamphlets calling people to church for a Sunday prayer.
On Friday, Pastor Prashant Bhatnagar, Sachin Shenge and his wife Manisha were distributing pamphlets in Talajo phase one when men belonging to ‘Shri Ram Pratishthan’ group objected to their distribution of printed pamphlets and attacked them.
Kharghar police station has booked accused men under section 143, 144, 149 (A) [Unlawful assembly], 295 A [outraging religious feelings], 342[wrongful confinement], 354 [outraging modesty of woman], 365 [kidnapping or abducting], 504 [intentional insult], 506 [criminal intimidation], 326 [causing injury by weapon] and 298 [deliberate intent wounding religious feelings] of Indian Penal code and under section 3,25 of Arms Act.
In a police complaint, Bhatnagar alleged that he was abducted in a car and taken to an isolated place near Taloja prison where they allegedly pointed a firearm and threatened to kill by setting him ablaze if he distributed the literature. Manisha also claimed she was verbally and physically abused by the men.
Bhatnagar told police in the complaint that he was then forced to sit in a van and taken near Taloja prison where he was beaten badly by the group and one youth peed on his injured body. He was then escorted back to Taloja phase one where his unconscious body was dumped. He was then taken to a hospital in Kharghar by roadside people, the complaint reads.
Speaking with Urdu Daily, Bhatnagar told, “Gurunath who claimed to be head of Shri Ram Pratishthan led the group that attacked us. He told me that I am converting vegetable vendors to Christianity and threatened of dire consequences if I continue distributing literature. ”
“His men then attacked me. When Sachin and Manisha tried to save me from the group, they attacked them also”, he narrated the incidence.
Kharghar police, which is investigating the matter, said no one has yet been arrested in the case so far.