The incident was reported around 7.30am after mass after Father Cyril Patrick of the Church of Resurrection noticed the pile of ashes in the corner where the crib had been kept. The crib is an auspicious manifestation of Jesus as a poor child born in a stable and its burning was a deliberate act to disturb communal harmony, church authorities said.
"The CCTV footage shows that some inflammable substance was thrown from outside the church," said Father Savarimuthu Sankar, spokesperson of the church. "The miscreants knew where the CCTV camera was fixed in the church as nobody's face was captured in it." He added, "The police say it is a case of short circuit when it is clear in the footage that something was thrown."
Two years ago, a statue was stolen from the church, said Patrick.
The church had decorated the crib during Christmas. As every year, it was kept near the entrance after December 25, and was to be dismantled on Monday.
CCTV footage has been given to the police. As a precautionary measure, a constable has been posted at the church round the clock. The police have registered a case under sections 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) and 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house, etc) of IPC.
This is the second incident of a church being targeted in the city. A stone was thrown at a church in Jasola in southeast Delhi in the first week of December.
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