Nine persons were arrested by the Kodangal police for vandalizing a church at Eerlapalli village in Daulatabad mandal of Vikarabad district on December 15, 2025, in an incident that has triggered condemnation from civil rights groups.
The accused, all aged between 20 and 25, were booked under 326 (mischief by fire or explosives to destroy houses/property) and Section 299 (Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and remanded to judicial custody.
According to the police, the group broke open the church door around 9.30 am, set a few items on fire inside the premises and fled, causing damage to property. No one was present in the church at the time of the incident. Police said the accused had earlier objected to the construction of the church, raising disputes over the land.
The group broke open the church door, set a few items on fire inside the premises and fled, causing damage to property | Photo Credit: By Arrangement
Following the incident, security has been tightened at churches in the area for Christmas celebrations.
