A parish meeting called to put forward names for election to the vestry turned into a riot last Sunday in the Vellore, India. Members of the Church of South India parish in the city came to blows over the names of potential candidates on 22 July 2018, the Tamil-language daily Dinamalar reported. The newspaper reported that a running battle broke out prompting a police riot squad to surround the church and break up the fighting. Four dozen people were taken into custody for breach of the peace. A search of the church by police subsequently uncovered a pistol and two sickles, allegedly used to threaten rivals at the parish meeting.
A local magistrate has ordered the parish padlocked until an investigation is concluded as to the cause of the riot and the identification of the ringleaders.
