2 weeks ago
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A supplication centre astatine Pathanamthitta turned into a flashpoint connected Sunday (June 21, 2026) arsenic allegations of kid maltreatment brought BJP activists and worshippers astatine the Elohim Global Worship Centre astatine Omalloor look to face, triggering a tense standoff that forced constabulary to measurement successful and escort devotees into the supplication hall.
The concern began unfolding successful the greeting erstwhile BJP workers staged a march to the supplication centre and laid siege to the premises demanding the apprehension of Pastor Binu Vazhamuttom, who runs the worship centre, successful transportation with allegations against an old-age attraction location managed by him. Anticipating protests and imaginable confrontations, the constabulary had already deployed a ample contingent of unit astatine the venue.
Tensions escalated erstwhile scores of worshippers arrived astatine the centre for Sunday prayers carrying supplication books. As protesters attempted to artifact their entry, the worshippers asserted their law close to state of worship. They maintained that if immoderate idiosyncratic had committed wrongdoing, the substance should beryllium dealt with done owed ineligible process alternatively than by disrupting spiritual activities.
With neither broadside consenting to measurement back, slogan-shouting followed and the concern threatened to spiral into a confrontation. The constabulary subsequently escorted the worshippers into the supplication hall. Minor scuffles broke retired erstwhile immoderate protesters entered the compound, prompting constabulary involution to reconstruct order.
Under scrutiny
The worship centre has been nether scrutiny since constabulary registered cases against 3 employees of an old-age location tally by the organisation astatine neighbouring Chenneerkara, pursuing complaints that a 17-year-old nonmigratory and different children had been subjected to carnal abuse.
Pastor Binu has denied the allegations, describing them arsenic portion of a run driven by idiosyncratic animosity. He alleged that the president of the Omalloor grama panchayat had idiosyncratic hostility towards him and rejected accusations that helium had illegally appropriated anyone’s property.
His wife, Shalu, besides defended the institution, claiming that the contention arose from disputes among the children themselves and not from immoderate maltreatment by unit members. “The contented is being deliberately exaggerated and determination is simply a concerted effort to represent the instauration successful a antagonistic light. No worker has assaulted immoderate child,” she told the media, adding that further details would beryllium revealed successful the coming days.
Meanwhile, the Social Justice section and the constabulary person intensified their probe into the allegations. Pastor Binu had earlier been summoned by the section for questioning but did not look earlier the officials.
Omalloor grama panchayat president and BJP person Athira Mohan said the worship centre had been functioning without a licence from the section body. She said BJP workers launched the protestation demanding enactment against the pastor pursuing complaints related to institutions tally nether his management.
“We ne'er prevented anyone from offering prayers today,” she said.
The controversy, meanwhile, took different crook aft it emerged that the proprietor of the gathering lodging the worship centre had already served a announcement directing the instauration to vacate the premises and discontinue its activities.
