Investigations are currently underway after St. Sebastian’s church, among the largest in East Delhi, went up in flames on the morning of 1 December.
According to Daijiworld, Delhi Archbishop Dr. Anil Couto has called on India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to urgently order a judicial enquiry into the fire in the Catholic church and police have registered a case against unknown outsiders for causing the arson with malicious intent.
“A case has been registered. A forensic team went to St. Sebastian Catholic Church in Dilshad Garden and collected two samples. The fire department is also preparing a report. Only after receiving these reports that we will able to ascertain the exact cause of the fire,” a police officer told the Indian Express.
“Father Mathew Koyickal, chancellor (Archdiocese of Delhi) alleged that “someone deliberately set fire to the church as there is a strong smell of kerosene in the air.”
According to the BBC, hundreds of Christians protested at the Delhi Police commissioner’s office on Tuesday morning.
Sources: Daijiworld; Indian Express; BBC
