Church torched in Punjab over Koran desecration rumours

Chandigarh : Curfew was clamped in Malerkotla town of Punjab on Monday after communal tension mounted in the town since Sunday night when a mob torched a church following reports of desecration of the Koran in the United States.

An enraged mob, on hearing rumours of burning of the Koran in Michigan, US, marched to the only church in the town and set its furniture on fire.

The crowd also prevented the fire brigade from brining the fire under control and police had to resort to blank firing to control the situation.

Recent reports that a pastor in the US planned to burn the holy Koran on the ninth anniversary of 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre had fuelled the rumours on Sunday night in the Punjab town.

Curfew has been imposed in the town till Monday evening and heavy deployment of security personnel has been made to ensure no further flare up.