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Three killed in church attack in Pakistan
Islamabad, Dec 26: Three people were killed and up to 10 others wounded in a grenade attack on a Christian church in central Pakistan yesterday night, police said.
Islamabad, Dec 26: Three people were killed and up to 10 others wounded in a grenade attack on a Christian church in central Pakistan yesterday night, police said.
''Two masked men threw a hand grenade on the church during the service,'' a police official in Daska town in Punjab province said.
He said that the incident took place at 8.30 pm local time in a village church some 20 km from Daska.
Another police official said that a young girl was killed on the spot and two people died of their injuries on their way to hospital. No one claimed responsibility for the attack. Islamic militants, angered over Pakistan's support for the US-led war on terror, are suspected to be behind a string of attacks on Chrsitian and Western targets in the country in recent months. Christians make up a tiny minority of Pakistan's population, which is overwhelmingly Muslim.
In neighbouring India, police said that armed robbers had raided a church during a Christmas service, injuring at least six people, including a priest.
Around 20 people armed with daggers, home-made pistols and crude bombs attacked the church in Maliapota in West Bengal as hundreds gathered to attend midnight mass, police said.
Police said that the gang fled with 150,000 rupees ($ 3,000) looted from the church. There was no religious or ethnic motive behind the incident, they added.
''Two masked men threw a hand grenade on the church during the service,'' a police official in Daska town in Punjab province said.
He said that the incident took place at 8.30 pm local time in a village church some 20 km from Daska.
Another police official said that a young girl was killed on the spot and two people died of their injuries on their way to hospital. No one claimed responsibility for the attack. Islamic militants, angered over Pakistan's support for the US-led war on terror, are suspected to be behind a string of attacks on Chrsitian and Western targets in the country in recent months. Christians make up a tiny minority of Pakistan's population, which is overwhelmingly Muslim.
In neighbouring India, police said that armed robbers had raided a church during a Christmas service, injuring at least six people, including a priest.
Around 20 people armed with daggers, home-made pistols and crude bombs attacked the church in Maliapota in West Bengal as hundreds gathered to attend midnight mass, police said.
Police said that the gang fled with 150,000 rupees ($ 3,000) looted from the church. There was no religious or ethnic motive behind the incident, they added.
Bureau Report