Church attacked in India

More than 50 armed men stormed the church

A Christian priest and 14 others have been injured in an attack on a Christmas service in India.

Police say more than 50 armed men stormed a church in Maliapota in the eastern state of West Bengal late on Tuesday.

More than 1,000 worshippers had gathered at the church for a special midnight mass.

"They threatened those assembled with dire consequences if they showed any resistance," senior police official Narayan Ghosh said.

They threw bombs and fired gunshots when the chief priest, Father Abraham, tried to resist.

Christians have come under attack in recent years

The mob fled when police arrived on the scene and opened fire.

Since then police have detained six men and deployed extra security in the area, which is close to the Bangladesh border.

Attacks

In recent years, there has been an increase in violence against Christians in India, who make up about 2% of the population.

In 1999, an Australian missionary working in India and his two little sons were burned to death by a mob in the eastern state of Orissa.

That attack was blamed on hardline Hindu groups who accuse the missionaries of forcibly proselytising low-caste Hindus and tribal groups.

Last month, the southern state of Tamil Nadu passed a controversial new law banning religious conversion through coercion or material inducement.

Many Christian groups in the state protested against the move which they argued was unconstitutional.

India is a secular state which permits freedom to practice any religion.