A statue of the Mother was vandalized at St. Mary's Church in Delhi's Mayur Vihar area on Sunday. The incident occurred at the Syro-Malabar Church, which is home to a significant Malayali community.
According to reports, the attack took place around 12:30 PM when an unidentified individual on a motorcycle threw a brick at the statue's glass enclosure, shattering it. Following the incident, the statue was moved to another location.
The identity of the attacker remains unknown. Shopkeepers near the church reported that the person was not wearing a helmet, but stated they could not identify him.
Delhi Police have obtained CCTV footage of the incident and have launched an investigation. They are gathering information from nearby shopkeepers and residents.
Church authorities have not filed an official complaint with the police and have stated that they are not planning to lodge one at the moment.
Mayur Vihar, where the church is located, has a significant Malayali Christian population. Similar attacks on churches have been reported in different parts of North India in the past.
The St. Mary's Church that was targeted is under the Syro-Malabar Church.
Dr. John Dayal, prominent social activist and long-time documenter of violence against Christians in India, responded to the incident. "The vandalism at St. Mary's Church is concerning, especially in the context of similar incidents we've documented across North India. What's particularly troubling is the apparent reluctance to file police complaints after such events. It is particularly alarming that the police and governance often seem complicit in crimes against religious minorities. Without official complaints, these incidents don't make it into national crime statistics, making it difficult to assess the true scope of the problem. I hope authorities will thoroughly investigate regardless, and I urge church communities to report all such incidents formally," Dr. Dayal stated when reached for comment.
