Christians Attacked In Village Bahera In Southern UP

NEW DELHI, MAR. 29, 2008, 09.40 Hrs (CBCI News/EFI):

On 22nd March 2008, at around noon, a group of nine men from the village Bahera, came to the residence of certain Brij Lal, armed with rods and sticks and stones, and very drunk and attacked a group of Christians gathered there.

The attackers are believed to be belonging to Hindutva extremist group.

Bahera village falls within Tehsil Devtalab, Dist. Rewa in Southern UP. This is a remote interior village situated about 80 kms from the district headquarters.

They attackers “were very abusive and violent” and demanded that Brij Lal hand over their daughters to them. When Brij Lal tried to tell them that they were drunk and they should go home, they became even more abusive and charged at them. Brij Lal and his two daughters managed to run inside their house, but his old father and mother and his sister were not so lucky to escape the mob fury.

The men attacked them viciously, with rods, sticks and stones. The old man Mr. Sant Lal Saket sustained severe injuries on his left hand, with a possible fracture of the middle finger. He had been ailing for the past four months, which compounded the problem.

Brij Lal’s sister Michva, was also beaten up mercilessly, and she sustained severe head injuries.

The worst hit was Hirauwa, Brij Lal’s mother who is around 60 years old. She was attacked with sticks and stones, smashing the bridge of her nose.

After having indulged in this seemingly senseless violence, the culprits ran off, leaving the victims bleeding outside the house.

Then some people from the village came and helped to bring the injured to the nearest Primary Health Centre at Naigarhi, which is about 15 kms from their village.

A complaint was lodged at the Police Station at Naigarhi, and is registered as Complaint No. 47 / 08, under the sections 294, 323, 506B and section 34 of the IPC.

By Mr. Chandra Kant Shourie, EFI