06-04-2006, 07:50 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Pastor beaten up over conversion campaign
Visakhapatnam, June 3: Vaishnava Archaka Par-ishad, VHP, BJP and other Hindu religious organisations on Saturday demanded action against a pastor for propagating Christianity at the temple town of Simhachalam.
They held a dharna at the temple town and urged Simhachalam Devasthanamâs executive officer V. Sankar Reddy to prevent the entry of non-Hindus on the hills. They also demanded the arrest of Pastor Devaraj for allegedly luring innocent tribals residing on the Simhachalam hills and abutting villages to convert into Christianity. While, the dharna was on, some of the devotees had reportedly assaulted the pastor, who was passing nearby.
The devotees brought him to the executive officerâs chamber and dem-anded Mr Sankar Reddy to take action against him. However, the EO had reportedly expressed his helplessness angering the devotees, who beat up Devaraj.
North ACP Y. Prem Babu rushed to the spot along with Gopalapatnam CI Prasad Rao and took Devaraj into custody.
He was released later as no complaint was received against the preacher.
The preacher, belonging to Universal Christ Ministries, Bible Gospel Society was reportedly propagating his religion for the past two months on the sacred hills. He was reportedly distributing 4 kgs of pulses and 10 kgs of rice per household on the hills.
http://www.deccan.com/Region/RegionNews.as...sion%20campaign<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Visakhapatnam, June 3: Vaishnava Archaka Par-ishad, VHP, BJP and other Hindu religious organisations on Saturday demanded action against a pastor for propagating Christianity at the temple town of Simhachalam.
They held a dharna at the temple town and urged Simhachalam Devasthanamâs executive officer V. Sankar Reddy to prevent the entry of non-Hindus on the hills. They also demanded the arrest of Pastor Devaraj for allegedly luring innocent tribals residing on the Simhachalam hills and abutting villages to convert into Christianity. While, the dharna was on, some of the devotees had reportedly assaulted the pastor, who was passing nearby.
The devotees brought him to the executive officerâs chamber and dem-anded Mr Sankar Reddy to take action against him. However, the EO had reportedly expressed his helplessness angering the devotees, who beat up Devaraj.
North ACP Y. Prem Babu rushed to the spot along with Gopalapatnam CI Prasad Rao and took Devaraj into custody.
He was released later as no complaint was received against the preacher.
The preacher, belonging to Universal Christ Ministries, Bible Gospel Society was reportedly propagating his religion for the past two months on the sacred hills. He was reportedly distributing 4 kgs of pulses and 10 kgs of rice per household on the hills.
http://www.deccan.com/Region/RegionNews.as...sion%20campaign<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->