Hindu Leader Arrested in Indian Church Attacks

By Associated Press Writer
Muneeza Naqvi
Sun, Sep. 21 2008

NEW DELHI (AP) - Police in southern India have arrested a senior leader of a right-wing Hindu group in connection with attacks on Christian churches and prayer halls last weekend, an official said Saturday.

Mahendra Kumar, a state convener of the radical Bajrang Dal group in Karnataka state, was arrested late Friday night, according to A.M. Prasad, a senior local police official.

"He's part of the investigation of the attacks on Christian places of worship," Prasad said.

Right-wing Hindu mobs mainly linked with Bajrang Dal attacked at least 20 churches and prayer halls in the Mangalore, Chikmaglur and Udupi districts of Karnataka state on Sept. 14, alleging that some churches had circulated literature defaming the Hindu religion, Prasad said. the rest