Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Nov 3: “We and our children are afraid to identify ourselves as Christians after the church attack incidents. We are always haunted by the apprehension of being targetted by the attackers out to seek revenge. The Bible classes that were earlier held at some places, have been stopped. The programmes that were being held at night in churches, have been cancelled,” said Dr Janet Andrade from Kinnimulky here, recording her evidence before the B K Somashekhara Commission of Inquiry that is probing the church attacks.

The Commission’s legal advisor, S R Raviprakash, conducted the hearing relating to the church attacks, at the sitting at the Travellers Bungalow here on Monday November 2.

Albert D’Souza from the city said that prayers were earlier held in churches without any problem. However, at present, the churches are facing the need to get police protection to hold prayers, he added.

Headmistress of St Cecily’s School here, Maria Savita, in her statement, said that based on the information of church attacks in Mangalore, the policemen had been requested by the school authorities, to provide protection to the school. A memorandum had also been submitted to the district superintendent of police and the deputy commissioner. But, the policemen failed to accord any protection to the school, she complained.

“About 2,000 students study in our school. We conducted classes by locking up the gates. In the meantime, about 100 students of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishat came to the school and asked us to close the school,” she said.

Prashant Jattanna said that the policemen had been requested to provide protection to churches, even before the attacks happened. If the protection had been given, the attacks could have been averted, he felt.

Cecily D’Souza, Olivia D’Souza, Charlotte Saldanha from the city, Benedicta Fernandes from Kolambe and Frederick Machado from Gundibail  were also examined at the hearing. Advocate Bykady Suprasad Shetty represented the Hindu outfits. Mary Shreshta appeared on behalf of Christian organizations. Chief administrative officer of the Commission, Siddappa Basavanneppa Timmavagol was present.

Out of the 30 people, who were served notices by the Commission to appear before it during its two-day sitting here, it was found that eight people did not stay at the addresses given to the Commission. Nine people were examined on the first day. Legal Advisor of the Commission, Raviprakash, informed that this was the final sitting in Udupi, and the others from here, who have filed affidavits, will be examined during the sitting at Mangalore.