GUWAHATI, Nov 14: Police arrested three people on Friday for allegedly vandalising a church in the Borthuli Garopara area under Chaygaon police station in Kamrup Rural district.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Kamrup Rural, Subhashish Baruah said police received information about the incident on Thursday night. Several people were detained from the site, following which three persons were arrested on Friday.
The arrested persons were identified as Mathamar Marak, 58, Limbarth Sangma, 62, and Sushendra Marak, all residents of Barghuli.
Police registered a case at Chaygaon police station under provisions relating to criminal trespass, promoting enmity between groups, damage to a place of worship with intent to hurt religious feelings, damage to property and theft.
Baruah said all the arrested persons were Christians and belonged to the same tribal community. Both groups involved in the dispute comprised Assam residents, he said, ruling out any inter-state conflict along the Assam-Meghalaya border or a religious or linguistic dispute.
Tension gripped the area after news of the vandalism spread, with initial speculation linking it to the Assam-Meghalaya border dispute. Police ruled out an attack from across the border and said the situation was brought under control by Friday afternoon.
