Kachirayapalayam police have arrested a church priest for pasting handwritten Bible verses and provocative slogans, such as “Jesus coming soon,” on the walls surrounding several temples in the area. The scriptures also included a warning that the idols would be removed and replaced.
The incident occurred on the night of November 12th when an unknown individual pasted handwritten Bible verses on chart paper and affixed them to the walls of Shiva, Pillayar, and Perumal temples in Kachirayapalayam, a village near Karadisithur in Kallakurichi District.
The messages also included a warning about removing the idols and replaced, along with a statement titled “A Condemnation to the Commons,” signed by “Anniya/Stranger.”
Following a complaint, Inspector Yelumalai and his team launched an investigation, identifying the suspect as a 34-year-old church priest named Christ Raj, the son of Santhanam, from Kachirayapalayam.
According to the police, Christ Raj, who trained as a priest, established a church near his home and actively preached his faith. However, he was frustrated by the low turnout at his church, as most locals preferred to attend the nearby temples. In retaliation, Christ Raj allegedly vandalized temple idols last month and, on the night in question, wrote and posted religious verses on the temple walls. He was arrested in connection with the incident.
(With Inputs From Dinamalar)
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