The Maharashtra Police on Thursday identified five members of a group that allegedly attacked a congregation attending Sunday prayers in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur district, PTI reported. Twelve people who were part of the congregation were injured in the attack.
“We have identified at least five members of the group with the help of CCTV footage,” said Kolhapur Superintendent of Police Abhinav Deshmukh. “We have their names, addresses and we are looking for them. Deshmukh said the five people were from Belagavi in Karnataka and rural parts of the state.
Police have formed five teams, including one from the Crime Branch, to investigate the attack. They have also sought the help of their counterparts in Karnataka.
The 40-member congregation was attacked with swords, iron rods and bottles at the New Life Fellowship Church in Kolhapur’s Kowad, close to the Karnataka border. A member of the congregation said 15-20 people hurled stones at the building and then barged inside. The church pastor had said that the group accused them of “holding conversion programmes”.
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