The Hindu

Davangere, Jan 5: The police have arrested B. Gangadhar, neighbour of pastor Gangadhar, on charge of torching the prayer hall-cum-residence of the pastor in Malebennur, on Sunday.

Superintendent of Police Sandeep Patil told presspersons on Sunday that Gangadhar’s mother, sister and wife had starting going to the prayer hall in the past few months and Gangadhar had strongly opposed it.

He had a clash with his mother, sister and wife several times in this regard but he could not prevent them from going to the prayer hall.

Later, he asked pastor Gangadhar not to allow his wife, mother and sister into the prayer hall. But the pastor reportedly told him that he could not prevent any one from coming to the prayer hall.

Gangadhar had also allegedly threatened the pastor that he would commit suicide in front of the prayer hall if his family continued to visit the hall despite his protest.

Disappointed by the fact that his family was not listening to him, he stopped going home every day and stopped having food there. He quarrelled with the pastor and accused him for having destroyed the peace in his family.

The incident

After ascertaining that there was no one at the prayer hall on the night of January 1, he allegedly torched the thatched roof of the prayer hall.

He had an intention of destroying the church and not injuring or killing the pastor, said Superintendent of Police Sandeep Patil.

Patil said that a few persons who had opposed to the existence of a church there had been questioned when the B.K. Somashekar Commission visited some days ago to conduct the enquiry.

When Gangadhar was subjected to thorough investigation, he allegedly confessed to torching the prayer hall.

Sandeep Patil said that they would submit a detail report in this regard to the B.K. Somashekar Commission soon.

A case has been registered at the Malebennur Police Station and on Sunday evening Gangadhar will be produced before the magistrate, he said.