The FIR filed by Subhani Hembrom at Majhgaon police station in West Singhbhum district indicates that a group of villagers were up in arms against the move to set up the Church at Majhgaon.
In the FIR,it is alleged that 18 villagers had beaten up the Jesuits-Pastor Vijay Sayanya,Hembrom and Budhram Nag on Wednesday afternoon and demolished the wall of the Church underconstruction at Majhgaon.”They had also stopped the constrction work of the Church”,alleges the FIR filed by Hembrom.
Among these 18 villagers-all of whom were tribals-the prominent villagers were Obey Penguwa,Tarni Pani,Sanatan Pan,Budhram Kuldi and Pradhan Hembrom.”They tied up Budhram with a tree and beat him up”,alleged Hembrom in the FIR.
She said that the construction work of the Church was going on inside her house.”Pastor Vijay and some others had come to my house.I was seating inside the house of Budhram Nag.Around the same time,the villagers came and started protesting against construction of the Church.Next,they beat me up.They tied Budharam with a tree and beat him up.This made him lose consciousness”,claims Hembrom in the FIR.
In protest against the FIR,the villagers turned aggressive and gheraoed the police station.They say that the land was given to Sanatan Pan to construct house.”But despite many appeals not to construct the Church on this land,the Church was being constructed.When we protested against it,many of us were booked on false charges”,said a resident of Majhgaon echoing the sentiments of a group of tribals.
The police has started investigation into the case.However,no arrest was made in this connection till date.
