Pastor murdered in Ludhiana, Family refuses to hold funeral

Ludhiana, July 17, 2017: The family of a pastor, who was shot dead by two assailants at Peerubanda Mohalla, refused to hold a funeral until his killers were arrested, as Christians held protests against the murder.

Police said that although CCTV cameras installed in the church captured the incident, it was too dark to see the assailants’ faces.

The pastor of a local church was shot dead by two assailants at a church at Peerubanda Mohalla around 8.45 pm on July 15. The bike-borne assailants fired multiple shots at the pastor, killing him on the spot. The deceased, Sultan Masih, sustained two bullet injuries in the chest and one in the head.

On Sunday, protesters blocked the Ludhiana-Jalandhar highway to demand justice.

“We will not perform last rites until police arrest the killers. It is attack on Christians and we will not bow to any pressure. We want justice,” a protester said.

Congress lawmakers Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Surinder Dawar and Kuldeep Vaid tried to intervene, but later sat on a dharna on the Jalandhar highway.

Protesters called off the demonstration later after police promised to take action.

– tribune