Miscreants set fire to the door of a Church in Dharwad on Friday night.

This is said to be the 5 th such incident of Christians being targeted in Hubli-Dharwad of Karnataka State in the last 20 days.

According to the eye witnesses, residents living near the Our Lady of Perpetual Successor Church, in Kalyan Nagar, saw the Church's door on fire, at around 10:25 p.m.

When they rushed towards the Church, they saw 4 persons flee the scene on two wheelers.

The residents then put out the fire with water.

The Culprits had used liquid fuel to set the door on fire and had broken a ventilator above the door to throw the fuel inside the Church to start the fire, the eyewitnesses said.

DCP (Law & Order) D. Prakash came to the spot when he got the information and 2 constables are posted at the Church.

Fr. Fidelino, Priest of the Church has lodged a police complaint in Vidyagiri Police station.

Bishop of Belgaum Rt Rev Peter Machodo visited the Church on Saturday.

Fr Derek Fernandez of Sevalaya said that Christians were peace loving people and did not deserve such treatment.

Regarding the incident on Friday night, Hubli-Dharwad Commissioner Narayan Nadmani said that information was being collected and the culprits would be traced.

Deccan Herald New Service ( Deccan Herald - Sunday 12, November - 2006.)