Rajkot: A 45-year-old man who allegedly stormed a church in Amreli district with a sword and a can of flammable liquid, threatened occupants and set the furniture ablaze, has been sent to judicial custody by a local court.A complaint was registered at Savarkundla Town police station by Lydia, daughter of Shinda Masih Rani, the “church mother”. Police have booked Khuman for mischief, mischief by fire, trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint and criminal intimidation.On Tuesday, Uday Khuman, a resident of Savarkundla, went to the Pentecostal Mission Church near ITI on the Savarkundla-Mahuva road.According to the complaint, Lydia opened the church door at around 11am after hearing a knock. She found Khuman, dressed in white, holding a sword in one hand and a plastic can in the other.He pushed her inside and threatened her, saying, “If you want to save your life, stay out, otherwise I will kill you with the sword.”He then allegedly doused the furniture and other items inside the church hall with the flammable liquid and set them on fire with a matchstick. As flames spread, the mother and a sister present in the church ran outside screaming.A neighbouring shopkeeper called the fire brigade and police. Before emergency teams arrived, local residents and church members doused the fire with water.According to the complaint, the fire damaged a sofa set, table, four to five plastic chairs, two beds and window curtains. The damage has been estimated at about Rs 50,000.PI K B Solanki of Savarkundla Town police station told TOI that Khuman was produced in a court on Wednesday, which remanded him in judicial custody.During questioning, Khuman allegedly told investigators that the Christian population was increasing across the world. He also expressed suspicion that Christians were converting people from other faiths and told police that he had watched videos related to the issue online. Investigators said Khuman is unemployed and his family owns cultivable land.Police sources said Khuman had gone live on Facebook two days before the alleged offence. During the broadcast, he allegedly accused Christians of converting Hindus and threatened to shut down the church and force its closure.
