A decade after attack, justice still delayed to priest

Justice delayed is justice denied to a Priest, who was attacked and his church burnt by the religious fanatic a decade ago in National Capital. The case is pending in Delhi West court for last ten years without any justice given to victims and judgment to perpetuators.

Rev. Paul R. Prasad, a 60-years-old priest from Sitapuri, near Dabri, New Delhi told about the horrific incident happened to him, his church and members ten years ago. A group of 12 stick-wielded men in their 20s dressed in white T-shirts and khaki shorts interrupted the Sunday Prayer Service at Bethany Christian Assembly at Sitapuri under Dabri Police station, New Delhi on May 26, 1996 at around 10.30 AM.

Mid Day reported on June 4, 1996 that Suraj Bhan a member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh led the group and manhandled church members and stopped the religious function. The mob attacked Rev. Prasad with sharp edged lethal weapon at stomach repeatedly. Church member - Suresh Masih, a resident of Sitapuri also got injuries and the mob burnt copies of Bible and religious songbooks. When the neighborhood came out to rescue the priest, the mob fled from the spot. Church members took the priest to Safdurjung Hospital for treatment admitted for two days. His stomach damaged with deep wound remained unhealed until today.

The case was reported to Dabri police station and then the Station House Officer Mr. Raj Singh Chouhan denied FIR (First Information Report) from registering into crime record for one week. West Delhi Christian Fellowship approached higher authorities through a memorandum submitted copies marked to then the Honorable Lt. Governor of Delhi, Chief Minister of Delhi and Commissioner Police of Delhi, then the Joint Commission of Police, Mr. Maxwell Pereila initiated the case and thereafter Mr. Chouhan registered the complaint. Police arrested Mr. Suraj Bhan and his colleagues and freed on bail without any judgment since then.

According to Mid Day, Mr. Chouhan denied that the attack by member of RSS led by Mr. Suraj Bhan was not a religious communal in nature. It was a matter of personal rivalry over some property dispute.

A case FIR No. 332/96 under section 147/148/149/153A/294/298 of Indian Penal Code registered against perpetuators and pending in the court of Mr. Vijay Shankar - Metropolitan Magistrate, Dwarka, New Delhi. Metropolitan Magistrate has summoned Rev. Prasad and Suresh Masih to deposit their statement on July 22, 2010.

Dr. John Dayal member of National Integration Council and Secretary General of All Indian Christian Council said ''The attack on Rev. Prasad and his church happened during Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rule at the Centre. At the same time, many other organized attacks on Christians broke out across the nation." Mid Day reported two more attacks on Christians at Janakpuri adjoining Dabri on 27 and 30 May 1996 by alleged members of RSS. "The Christian communities in India were shocked and frightened," Dr. Dayal said.

All India Christian Council have approached National Human Rights Commission and National Commission for Minorities through a memorandum to take up the matter to conduct independent enquiry on why the case is still pending.