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Christian cemetery desecrated in Andhra

Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad

Vandals struck at a Christian cemetery in Rajahmundry town in coastal Andhra Pradesh and desecrated 40 graves by damaging the crosses on them, according to police and church authorities here.

Confirming the incident, Dr A Vijay Kumar, president Baptist Churches Association of Andhra Pradesh and coordinator of AP Inter-Church Council, said that according to reports from the authorities of St Paul East Parish Church at Rajahmundy, about 500 kms east of Hyderabad, the watchman of the cemetery noticed the damage on Friday morning.

"Reverand Nelson of the church reported the matter to the police on Friday morning after the watchman discovered that the crosses and tombstones on nearly 40 graves were damaged the previous night," Vijay Kumar said.

The cemetery has nearly 10,000 graves and was situated on the outskirts of town.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) Anurag Sharma said "We have asked the police officials there to inquire. We are awaiting a full report," he said.

Superintendent of Police, East Godavari district, A B Venkateshwar Rao rushed to the spot. He held a meeting with church authorities and Christian elders in the town to defuse the situation.

Vijay Kumar said that preliminary reports suggested that "some mischievous communal elements" have perpetrated the outrage."

This is the sixth incident in the series of attacks on churches and Christian congregations in the state in the last one month. On May 21, a bomb explosion rocked Christian congregation at the coastal town of Machilipatnam, causing severe injuries to 12 persons, mostly women and children. On May 28, two improvised explosive devices were discovered in two churches in Medak and Vikarabad towns near Hyderabad. On June 8, two improvised explosive devices went off in the two churches at Ongole and Tadepalligudem. Two persons sustained minor injuries in the blast at Ongole.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced a reward of Rs 5,00,000 for information on the culprits behind the blasts. The investigations into these incidents were entrusted to the Crime Branch - Criminal Investigation Department of the state police. But the police are yet to make a breakthrough.

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