Delhi Police took four days to file a first information report (FIR) against unknown attackers of a tribal Christian pastor who was manhandled and forced to chant “Jai Shri Ram.”
The incident took place on 25 February at South Delhi’s Fatehpuri Berri area and the 35-year-old pastor from Jharkhand state was shaken by the incident and approached police with a written complaint on 27 February.
The FIR has been registered under section 365 ( kidnapping or abduction with intent of wrongful condiment), section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), section 341 (wrongful restraint) and section 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.
“They asked me why I had come here. I said I had come to meet Kaalu bhai [his friend] which is when another person, who they had called on the phone, reached the area. They spoke to each other and accused me of religious conversion,” pastor told Scroll.in.
“They started beating me up and took my phone, my bag which had my Bible, the papers of my bike and other important papers. They were taking photos and videos of the entire thing,” he added.
A video of the incident was shared by Scroll.in journalist Aishwarya S. Iyer, in which Tet is seen to be tied to the divider and being accosted by a mob.
Pastor Tete reportedly managed to escape after the ropes around his wrists loosened. He called his friends who came to pick him up on a bike, according to media reports.
“Unless the governments in power take severe action against these goons who feel they are being protected, such incidents will continue to happen more frequently,” A.C. Michael, convener of the United Christian Forum and a former member of the Delhi Minorities Commission told UCA News.
