Priest allegedly attacked, paraded naked

AHMEDABAD, AUGUST 26: A priest attached to the Church of North India (CNI) at Surendranagar in Saurashtra was allegedly beaten up and paraded naked by some “unidentified persons” at a fair, police said here today.

In a complaint lodged with the police on Thursday, Arthurbhai Chimanbhai Rajwadi, priest of the CNI church and resident of the IP Mission compound in the town, alleged he was “beaten up and paraded naked” by some unidentified persons after he and two other priests had distributed religious pamphlets at the fair organised in the town during a religious festival on August 22, police said.

Rajwadi said he was approached by a group of 15 to 20 persons who allegedly threatened him and then stripped him and beat him up. They then paraded him on the main road before leaving him, he alleged.

Surendranagar DSP Vinod Mall confirmed that such an incident had taken place and that a complaint was lodged two days after the incident. He said the priest was not paraded naked as had been alleged, but said his clothes were torn. Since the filing of the complaint, police protection has been provided to the victim, he added. Nobody has been named in the FIR.