Ranaghat: Unidentified miscreants vandalized a church in West Bengal in the early hours of June 6.
Police said they have launched search to find the culprits who attacked the 127-year-old St Luke’s Church at Dayabari Mission Gate in Ranaghat in the Nadia district. The miscreants stole old religious items and 3,000 rupees, the church authorities said.
The church is close to a convent of the Religious of Jesus and Mary where a 70-year-old Catholic nun was raped during a robbery in March 2015.
“The Holy Sacrament was torn to pieces by miscreants. The other religious items, like the chalice and bronze candle stands were damaged and a few were taken away along the cash. They took the cash after breaking open a cupboard,” pastor Kishor Mondal told reporters.
“The stolen and damaged articles are very old. It is a blow for us,” he added.
A church worker discovered the damage when he came to the parish around 4:30 am. He found the lock at the main gate broken and informed church authorities, who filed a complaint with the police.
The superintendent of police of Nadia and sub-divisional police officer of Ranaghat visited the spot.
The church is about 150 feet away from the convent where the nun rape occurred.
Six persons, including Bangladeshis were arrested in connection with that case, which is still on at Calcutta High Court.