Thieves strike at church, ransack property

Some unidentified persons allegedly barged into a church in south Delhi and decamped with valuables, before vandalising the properties inside it in the wee hours today, police said.
According to the police, the robbery took place in St Mary Malankara Catholic Church in Neb Sarai. When people came for morning prayers in the church at around 6 am they found the back door of the church open.
Following which, police was informed. Church authorities said that a golden cross, a silver cross, two chalice sets, five cyborium (appearance wise similar to chalice set with a top cover), a monstrance (golden vessel to keep holy eucharist for benediction with a stand) and brass lamps were stolen.

They claimed that the worth of the stolen articles was around Rs 5 lakh.
"As the holy place and holy Eucharist got desecrated, we doubt the intention of the culprits," said Father Varghese Mattamana, who is the spokesperson of the church.
A case has been filed with Neb Sarai police station after which senior police officials visited the church.
A complaint has also been sent to Minister of State for Home Affairs Ratanjit Pratap Narayan Singh, Delhi Police Commissioner Bhim Sain Bassi and Chairperson of Delhi Minority Commission Safdar H Khan by the church authorities.