After attack on Christian missionaries in J&K’s Kathua, FIR against unknown group for ‘promoting conversions’

It is not clear if the group against which the latest FIR was registered is connected with the Christian missionaries who were attacked on Thursday.

Officers in Jammu and Kashmir Police said a few residents of Juthana village had alleged that the Christian missionaries were luring poor villagers into embracing Christianity by offering them money and other aid. In the FIR, they also accused the missionaries of distributing objectionable material against a particular religion among the villagers.

No arrests have been made yet in the case.

Police sources said that the case was registered after Kathua SSP Mohita Sharma ordered investigation and strict action in the matter.

Earlier, on Friday, police had registered an FIR against a few local residents for allegedly attacking the Christian missionaries in Juthana village.

The alleged assault had taken place on Thursday afternoon after a group of local residents had accosted the missionaries who were travelling in a van. Local youths allegedly smashed the window panes and windscreen of the van with sticks following which a team from Rajbagh police station rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.
Later, a video of the attack that surfaced on social media purportedly showed a few policemen standing as mute spectators to the attack on the van carrying the missionaries. Eight policemen, including a sub-inspector, were suspended.