Mumbai:

Over 1,500 Christians representing various churches on Thursday protested at Azad Maidan against the arrest of two staffers of Vasai's Ashirwad Prayer Centre last week.

The Vasai police filed a case under the Black Magic Act against the centre located in Bhuigaon, Vasai (west) following a complaint by the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS).

The protestors said that it was unjust to book the centre founder Pastor Sebastian Martin and his staff under the Act as the centre did not practise any blackmagic but was only engaged in prayers.

While Martin, who is undergoing treatment for his back injury at Jupiter hospital in Thane, has sought anticipatory bail, the protestors alleged that police was stationed outside the hospital to prevent him from signing his application for bail.