Raipur: Two unidentified persons on Sunday barged into a Protestant church and thrashed the pastor and his pregnant wife in a central Indian state.

The Times of India called the attackers “goons” and described the incident as another case of vandalization of church in Chhattisgarh’s troubled Bastar region.

The church is located at Tokapal area.

Arun Pannalal, president of Chhattisgarh Christian Forum, said the intruders poured petrol and torched the Bible, furniture and other religious material kept inside set the church.

The attackers who were armed with knife, hammer and sword, forced the pastor and his wife to chant ‘Jai Sri Ram’ and then poured petrol on them as well.

The goons manhandled the pastor’s children and destroyed mike set, gifts and tables. They also tried to set ablaze pastor’s house. The family ran out for life.

Later, the matter was reported to police who deployed security at the spot throughout the night.

Pannalal said the pastor’s wife was seven months pregnant.

A case was lodged at Parpa police station in Bastar and the police in charge Abdul Kadir Khan said that an FIR was registered against the two unidentified persons for creating communal tension and trying to set ablaze the pastor.

Pannalal remarked, “Police registering an FIR against unknown miscreants is laughable. In a small town police is well informed, they are trying to protect the accused. The police officers who have failed to protect our fundamental rights should be suspended immediately and enquired for dereliction of duty.”

Recently in March, a group of 15 men had vandalized a church and manhandled the congregants at Kachna in state capital while a prayer meeting was in progress. Nine persons were then arrested in connection with the case.