New Delhi, Feb 3
The National Human Rights
Commission Tuesday issued notice to the union home ministry, Delhi
government and Delhi Police for a detailed report, including the status
of investigation, into the ransacking-cum-theft in a Delhi church.
The
NHRC issued notice to the secretary of the home ministry, chief
secretary of Delhi government and the Delhi Police Commissioner to
submit their reports on the allegations of desecration of the St.
Alphonsa's Church in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj in the early hours of
Monday.
"Home ministry, Delhi government and the Delhi Police have been given ten days' time to respond," said a NHRC release.
The
NHRC intervened in the matter after taking suo motu cognizance of media
reports about the incident of breaking open the doors of the St.
Alphonsa's Church and defiling of the place of worship and the objects
held sacred, the release said.
The church's administration Monday
claimed it did not seem to be just an incident of theft as this was the
fifth case within nine weeks when a church in Delhi was targeted.
A
few sacred items, including a ciborium (receptacle) and a monstrance
kept inside a tabernacle, a cabinet made of wood and glass, were taken
away.
The release said the NHRC also received a telephonic
information from advocate Manoj V. George alleging that the police were
not taking necessary and appropriate action.
"The commission has
observed that the intention of the offenders appears to be to insult a
particular religion and...promote disharmony... the matter involves
serious issues relating to violation of human rights and requires the
intervention of the commission to ensure prompt investigation," the
release said.
Earlier, NHRC member Justice Cyriac Joseph
accompanied by some officers visited the church Monday and met Fr.
Vincent, the priest at the church.
"Fr. Vincent explained to the
NHRC team the nature and the extent of damage caused to the church. He
said that 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 release said.
Fr. Vincent informed the NHRC team that
the adjacent room called the Sacristy in which vestments and clothing
and valuable articles like Chalice were kept, was also ransacked, the
release 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. The act was to
desecrate the sanctity of the church and to create a sense of insecurity
in the minds of religious minority," the release said.
As per
the release, Fr. Vincent also expressed the apprehension that there was
an attempt to downplay the incident as mere a theft or a burglary.
However,
the release added, the senior police officials present on the spot
during the visit of the NHRC members denied the allegation and the
reports that the FIR was registered showing the offence as theft or
burglary.
"The ACP (Assistant Commissioner of Police) assured
that FIR would be registered on the basis of the written complaint dated
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 release said.
