Shillong, Nov 28: In what could be a disturbing trend of audacious burglary in religious institutions, valuable items were stolen from Unitarian Church at Madan Laban here early Thursday morning, days after a similar incident at Grotto Chapel, Laitumkhrah.
In Thursday’s incident occurred between 3:30 am and 4:00 am, miscreants took away four large brass flower pots and two chalices from both the old and new church buildings.
The stolen items were of significant spiritual and historical value for the congregation.
Shockingly, the miscreants also ransacked the church library.
The back to back incidents have raised an alarm over security of religious institutions in Shillong.
“It is unfortunate that even places of worship are no longer spared. Poor street lighting in the area is exacerbating the situation,” said LMB Rani, chairman of Unitarian Church, expressing his shock and concern over the incident.
He urged authorities to enhance security measures around religious sites.
Madan Laban Rangbah Shnong, Ioster Sun, condemned the incident, describing it as part of a disturbing trend. He called for increased vigilance and urged the community to maintain a neighborhood watch. He also appealed to the state government and police for more frequent patrolling during vulnerable hours.
This incident comes close on the heels of the Grotto Chapel burglary, where cash and electronics were stolen.
Although no religious items were desecrated in either case, targeting of churches has left residents concerned about the safety of their places of worship.
Police have registered a case and launched an investigation. Fingerprint experts have collected evidence, and further inquiries are ongoing.
Church officials and local leaders have demanded swift action to prevent future incidents, emphasising the need for stronger security measures across religious institutions in the city.
