SHILLONG, April 11: Two church leaders from Shillong were allegedly “manhandled” in Patna on Monday following an altercation with local youths, police said here on Tuesday.
The incident came to light after Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma put out a tweet saying two elders from the Presbyterian Church were manhandled by miscreants. The CM condemned the incident in Bihar.
Narrating the incident, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong told media persons he received information that two church elders — pastor RG Laloo and elder T. Nongkhlaw from the Laitumkhrah Presbyterian Church — visited the outskirts of Patna for fieldwork.
“It seems some local boys were present there and some kind of argument took place. On being informed about the incident, I instructed the DGP and the Chief Secretary to communicate with the Bihar Police and find out what happened since we had received information earlier that they were beaten up by the mob,” he said.
Clarifying that nothing has happened and both the church leaders were safe and sound, Tynsong said both the parties went to the police station and the case was closed following the intervention of the Meghalaya government.
The church leaders had requested for security and were on their way to the Patna Airport for their return journey to Shillong at the time of filing of this report.
Fearing that the incident may lead to communal tension through social media, Tynsong appealed to the people to refrain from spreading rumours since the government took serious note of the incident and had taken up the matter with the Bihar Chief Minister’s Office.
Stating that he is yet to get the full detail of the incident, Tynsong said the church leaders filed an FIR against the miscreants on the advice of the Bihar Police.
When asked if members of the Bajrang Dal were involved in the incident, Tynsong said he cannot say anything on the matter but clarified that there was no physical altercation and it was only a verbal argument.
Earlier, Meghalaya DGP Lajja Ram Bishnoi said the two church leaders were safe and sound. “There was no assault but just an altercation. This incident happened at the private residence of their friend in an area under the Alamganj police station. A rumour was spread out that they were there to carry out a forceful conversion of Hindus to Christianity and because of that some Bajrang Dal supporters came and had an altercation. The police arrived and took them to the police station to file an FIR,” he said.
The DGP also requested the Bihar Police to provide safety and security to the two till their departure from Patna.
The Shillong Police on Tuesday evening said legal action has been taken by the Bihar Police against the miscreants who had an argument with the two church elders.
In a statement, East Khasi Hills SP Sylvester Nongtnger referred to the reported assault on the two church elders circulated on social media and said that on receiving information, Patna’s Senior Superintendent of Police, and the Superintendent of Police (City) of East Patna were contacted by Meghalaya DGP and the East Khasi Hills police.
He said rumours spread at around 1.30 p.m. on Monday that some conversion was going on in a house after which some people gheraoed it, leading to an altercation and manhandling of the occupants of the house.
The police from Alamganj PS arrived there to contain the situation and escorted the two people to the thana for safety.
The Bihar Police were asked to give all the security and protection for their onward journey to Shillong and escorted them to the airport.
Meanwhile, the Meghalaya Pradesh Mahila Congress condemned the “atrocious and irresponsible” behaviour of the Bajrang Dal in Bihar. It said in a statement that the mindset of such elements is to continue to harass minorities in the name of religious conversion while the fact is their modus operandi is to subdue Christians and other minorities with false and baseless charges.
State Mahila Congress president, Joplin Scott Shylla called upon the state government led by the NPP, which is an ally of the BJP, to sort out the issue and bring the culprits to book according to the relevant sections of the law.
The Khasi Jaintia Christian Leaders Forum also denounced the perpetration of violence against the Christian Mission workers from the state, and expressed its appreciation to those responsible in the administration of both the states for sorting the situation out in a proper manner.
“As Christian leaders in the state we are very concerned with the news that was circulated about the situation in Bihar where a Christian Pastor and a Church Elder from Shillong had encountered some incidents of hostility and aggression which could have put them in grave danger. We initiated prayers and intercessions for their welfare and safety and are thankful that no harm has befallen on them as we also received information that they are returning back home,” KJCLF said in a statement.
While calling for prayers and support from believers, the Forum appealed to social media users to restrain from spreading news which have the propensity to provoke unwanted reactions.
The Forum also called on all concerned to be aware of local prevailing situations while fulfilling their mission work in other parts of the country.
Recalling that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited a Christian place of worship on Easter Sunday, the Forum appealed to those in authority in the country to see that peace and harmony prevails in society.
Former MLA, PT Sawkmie also condemned the attack on the two church elders at Patna.
Sawkmie urged the Chief Minister to write to his Bihar counterpart to arrest the miscreants who manhandle the two church leaders.
He expressed happiness that both were safe and on their way home.
