A church was vandalised and a senior policeman was attacked and injured during a protest by a group of tribals in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district in Bastar on Monday, police said.
The injured officer is Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Sadanand Kumar, who was seen clutching his head as blood trickled down his face. He has been shifted to a hopsital.
A meeting was called in by an Adivasi group to protest against a clash that took place between two communities over alleged religious conversion in Edka village in Narayanpur district on Sunday, say preliminary reports.
It quickly escalated into a big argument between two opposing groups. Chairs, stones were thrown around and people came to blows. Soon, it turned into a full-scale fight.
More security personnel were called in to stem the spiralling protests.
Talking to reporters at the hospital, SP Kumar said that protesters arrived near Vishwa Dipti Christian School in the afternoon and tried to charge towards a church located in the school premises.
"After being alerted about it, I immediately rushed to the spot with other officials and tried to pacify the protesters. They seemed convinced and were about to return, but suddenly someone hit me with a stick on my head," Mr Kumar said .