Source: Hueiyen News Service
Delhi, December 15 2008:
CHINGMEIRONG Rongmei Pei Authority has clarified that there was no incident of church burning at Chingmeirong last night.
Reacting to a report published in this newspaper today, chief of Chingmeirong Kabui Khul, Malangmei Jinrei clarified that no one burnt the church but some damages were caused in the frontal portion of the church.
He stated in a press release that the incident happened when village women Meira Paibis stood guard at the village gate in order to avoid any unwanted disturbance in the preparations for Gan Ngai festival such as rehearsing dance and music, social service etc, the Christian couple Kaphun Kamei and his wife came out of their house and asked the Meira Paibis who pelted stones at their house thus provoking women.
Then younger brother of Kaphun Kamei's wife came out holding a sword in his hand and tried toattack the women.
That provoked the quarrel.
However, there was no incident of church burning, the village chief stated in his press release.
Meanwhile Kaphun has charged that following an indiscriminate pelting of stone at his house that evening, he and his family rushed out of the house and found Lansinga (60) and Athui Daimei (55) of the same locality pelting the stones.
Both of them were drunk, Kaphun alleged.
As he (Kaphun) tried to stop them from pelting stones, both the alleged culprits assaulted him including his wife and a daughter who also tried to prevent the assaulting, conveyed Kaphun.
They were then joined by a mob ranging about a hundred and started attacking his property including a church (Chingmeirong Baptist church) which stood at his campus, further alleged the victim.
The attack practically damaged the church and five rooms including three empty shops, bedrooms and the quarter of an evangelist of the church.