Three more churches attacked in Karnataka

BANGALORE: In fresh attacks, three more churches were today targeted in the city even as security was scaled up for trouble-free Sunday prayers, two days after the Centre issued its second advisory to Karnataka to rein in communal forces.

In Rajarajeshwari Nagar here, some miscreants pelted stones at a statue placed in a glass enclosure outside the Holy Name of Jesus Church, police said.

In North East Bangalore near Lumbini Gardens, miscreants damaged some articles kept inside the St James Church, they said.

Stones were also pelted at a church in Banaswadi area of the locality, police said.

At least three persons suspected to be involved in the Lumbini Gardens incident have been rounded up, they said. "We have to still confirm their involvement in the incident," police added.

The Union Home Ministry had on September 19 issued a strong advisory, the second in 24 hours, to Karnataka, saying that the BJP government in the state was not taking adequate steps to bring the situation under control and bring the guilty to book.

These developments amounted to "breach of the Constitution and the law of the country", the advisory has stated, virtually indicting the state government's handling of the situation in the wake of attacks on churches and Christians allegedly by the Bajrang Dal.