Bihar: Police Step in to Provide Safe Passage for 2 Shillong Church Elders

Shillong: Timely intervention by the East Khasi Hills police along with its counterpart in Patna and jointly with the Director General of Police, Meghalaya helped contain a situation arising out of an assault on two Presbyterian church elders over alleged conversion in Alamganj in Bihar.

In a Press Release, the Superintendent of Police of East Khasi Hills, Shillong, Mr Sylvester Nongtnger, IPS stated that around 1.30 pm on Tuesday, rumours spread that some conversions were going on in a house in Alamganj. The house at which people had gathered was gheraoed leading to an altercation and manhandling of two people.

Based on the East Khasi Hills information, Alamganj police rushed to the scene and contained the situation, and escorted those two people to safety. They have been provided safe passage for their onward journey to Shillong.

The East Khasi Hills police informed that legal action has been initiated by the Bihar Police against the miscreants.

The Church Leaders of North-East India under the aegis of the United Christian Forum of NEI  (UCFNEI) expressed their deep shock and concern as two senior church elders from Meghalaya belonging to the Presbyterian Church of India were allegedly manhandled and falsely accused of initiating conversion when they visited Bihar at the invitation of the local Church there for post-Easter celebrations among the faithful.

According to Allen Brooks, spokesperson, UCFNEI, “East Khasi Hills District through a Press Release states that they were safe and would be given police protection as they head back home.”

In another development, the church leaders expressed their deep pain and sorrow at the demolition of three churches in the East Manipur district immediately after Easter following the vacation of the operation of the interim status quo order earlier issued by the Honourable High Court of Manipur.

Under these circumstances, UNCFNEI has appealed to all its faithful to continue to pray for peace and harmony while standing united.