SHILLONG, MAY 25: East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem on Monday said police have launched an investigation into the vandalism of a vehicle belonging to Pastor MacDonald Pyngrope, with officials examining whether the incident is connected to an ongoing rift within the Church.
The incident occurred on Sunday evening.
“Yesterday in the evening about 9:30 we got information that Pastor MacDonald Pyngrope’s white Bolero, which was parked along the road at Wahingdoh, was vandalized. The rear glass of the vehicle was broken,” Syiem said.
The pastor has lodged an FIR at Lumdiengjri Police Station.
“For that he has filed FIR at Lumdiengjri, the same was treated as Zero FIR and it was transferred to Sardar Police Station,” Syiem said.
Sardar Police Station has initiated proceedings in the case.
“Sardar Police has taken up a non-cognizable case whereby it has been registered after cognizance is received from court,” the SP added.
Police are working to identify those involved and establish the motive.
Q“Police are in the job to find out the culprits and also trying to ascertain whether the culprits had the intention of stealing, because there were things inside the vehicle, or it had ulterior motives,” Syiem said.
When asked about a possible connection to internal Church disputes, Syiem said, “Yes, already there is a rift in the Church but we will be able to ascertain only after we investigate the matter, whether it has to do with the rift in the Church or a simple case of theft of property.”
He confirmed that Pastor Pyngrope had earlier filed a separate complaint. “Yes, he was the same person who filed FIR on alleged corruption in the Church,” Syiem said.
Providing an update on the corruption case, the SP said, “The first case has been chargesheeted where Rs 3 crore was found missing. The Pastor has filed an additional FIR where Rs 4 crore was being misappropriated. We have taken up the matter with the court and the court has given us direction that it will still continue with the same case and in case new events or evidences crop up then it will continue with the same investigation.”
