Ludhiana: A pastor of a Pentecostal Church was shot dead on July 15 by two unidentified person in Ludhiana, Punjab.
The assailants came on a motorcycle and fired multiple shots at Sultan Masih at around 8:45 pm, killing him on the spot. Masih sustained two bullet injuries in the chest and one in the head.
The incident occurred at outside the Christian sect’s prayer of workship at Peerubanda Mohalla.
Masih managed a school for poor children inside the Temple of God Church. He is survived by his wife Sarabjit and sons — Alishah, 26, and Hanok, 18.
Deepak, a church member who stays nearby, told Shibu Thomas of Persecution Relief that he came out of his house hearing gunshots. He found Masih dead in front of the church.
The members of the community assembled outside the church and expressed anger at the attack. Police Commissioner R N Dhoke later visited the scene and urged them to maintain peace, reports tribuneindia.com.
Dhoke said CCTV cameras installed at the church captured the images of the assailants, but they could not be identified since it was dark.
The police inspector also said the assailants came on a Pulsar motorcycle and shot the pastor, who was talking on the phone outside the church. Two minors witnessed the crime.
“We were playing near the church when two men arrived on a bike and shot the pastor. We raised the alarm and informed his family. He was taken to the DMC Hospital in a car,” said one of them.
Sources said two empty cartridges were recovered from the scene. Last year, the daughter of the pastor’s brother had died when she was hit in the head by a javelin at the sports stadium.
Masih has managed the church for the past 20 years.