9 held for attack on pastors

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Feb 4: Nine people have been arrested in connection with the attack on two Indian Pentacostal Church pastors by a group of Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh workers at Kumbazha in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala on Tuesday night, Chief Minister E K Nayanar told the State Assembly today.

Replying to a submission by Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan Congress, Nayanar said the BJP and RSS workers dragged the pastors, Cyril Thomas and Aby John, from an autorickshaw on the Kumbazha-Vadasserikkara road and assaulted them. The pastors and the autorickshaw driver, who were injured were being treated at the district hospital.

He said the accused were produced before the first class magistrate, who remanded them to 15 days8217; custody. The Chief Minister said miscreants had looted the St Simon Orthodox Cathedral at Kumbazha on January 18 and attacked the cathedral the next day. Pathanamthitta police had registered two cases. A special squad had been constituted under the district superintendent of police to nab the culprits involved in the January 18 and 19 incidents.