By Matters India Reporter

Jalandhar, Aug 31, 2022: The diocese of Jalandhar has decided to close all its schools on September 1 to its concern over the attack on a church at Patti near Tarn Taran in the northern Indian state of Punjab.

“We call upon everyone to work towards peace and harmony between all religions,” says a August 31 message from Agnelo Gracias, apostolic administrator the diocese.

The school closure comes a day after some unidentified miscreants attacked a statue of Pieta kept outside the Infant Jesus Catholic Church in Patti, some 50 km south of Amritsar, the place that holds Sikhism’s holiest shrine. They also torched the car of the parish priest that was in the church compound.

Sectarian tension flared after the incident that occurred around 12:45 am on August 31.

The attack occurred after the Akal Takht Jathedar, head of the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, issued a statement against “forced conversions” of Sikhs by Christian missionaries. Nihang Sikhs had also protested against the issue two days ago.