Four persons — three VHP and one Bajrang Dal member — were arrested on Thursday evening in connection with the vandalism of Christmas decorations at a missionary school in Assam’s Nalbari district on Christmas Eve.
The arrests came hours after Leader of the Opposition and Congress MLA Debabrata Saikia wrote to the state government urging protection for minority communities and their right to celebrate freely in Assam.
The arrests followed a complaint by Father Baiju Sebastian, principal of St Mary’s English School, Panigaon, where the incident occurred. Nalbari district officials said incidents of similar vandalism were reported from three local malls on Wednesday, dampening the festive mood and prompting the deployment of security around churches.
The FIR stated that around 2.30pm on December 24, miscreants unlawfully entered the school premises, vandalised Christmas lights, damaged potted plants and torched the decorations. Video footage showed nearly 20 individuals, allegedly Bajrang Dal members, shouting slogans like “Jai Shri Ram” and “Jai Hindu Rashtra” while setting the decorations on fire.
Police registered a case under Sections 329(3), 326(f), 189(2), 351(2), 324(3), 324(4), and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), covering criminal trespass, arson, unlawful assembly, intimidation, and conspiracy. SI Chanakya Das is investigating.
The four arrested were identified as Bhaskar Deka (VHP district secretary), Manash Jyoti Patgiri (VHP vice-president), Biju Dutta (VHP assistant secretary), and Nayan Talukdar (Bajrang Dal district convenor). They were detained around 5.20pm Thursday.
A church leader said festivities were already subdued following singer Zubeen Garg’s death in September. Garg, a beloved Assamese musician, had recorded over 40 gospel tracks and was closely associated with the Christian community. “His songs were played in churches across the state. The vandalism has further dampened spirits,” the leader said.
At St Joseph’s Church in Panbazar, security was tight and turnout low. Christmas videos were played on a muted screen.
Saikia, in his letter to chief secretary Ravi Kota, noted that VHP leader Bhaskar Deka had openly opposed the celebrations and urged action against those threatening communal harmony. He demanded an impartial probe and stronger safeguards to protect religious freedoms in Assam.