Attack on Christians — 33 remanded to police custody

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) spokesperson for Nashik district Eknath Shete told The Indian Express that neither the VHP nor the Bajrang Dal had any shakha or activist in Abhona and had nothing to do with the attack on Christians. He further stated that some vested interests had launched a smear campaign against the VHP and the Dal by alleging that these organisations had engineered the attack.

However, he said that the activities of missionaries in Abhona for the past three years had annoyed the local villagers and their restlessness might have led to the attack. Incidentally, the district unit chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh along with others rushed to Abhona on Thursday. The VHP, which denied its involvement in the attack, offered the services of two lawyers to the accused. Meanwhile, the minister of state for dairy development and local MLA Arjun Tulshiram Pawar, the Maharashtra state president of the NCP Babanrao Pachpute, Minister of State for Social Welfare Laxman Dhobale and former health minister Dr Daulatrao Aher (BJP) visited Abhona. Talking to reporters Dr Aher accused the police of framing innocent boys in the case. He said that Christians had illegally tapped electricity for their programme and were screening a film having derogatory references to Hindu gods.

Pachpute and others appealed for peace in the village. A seperate all party meeting was also held to discuss the situation. Local leaders from the BJP, the NCP, the Shiv Sena and deputy superintendent of police B G Shekhar addressed the meeting attended by villagers.

A bandh was observed in Kalwan on Friday to protest against the arrest of the youngsters.