The Church expressed shock and sympathy today after a fire ripped through a community park in Delhi yesterday killing 13 eunuchs and leaving 35 others injured.

The blaze broke out yesterday evening in a pandal (tented enclosure) in the park in East Delhi’s Nand Nagri district where over 1,000 eunuchs from across the country had assembled for a three-day gathering.

“We are deeply grieved to hear about the incident and extend our sympathies to the families of those killed and injured,” said Father Dominic Emmanuel, spokesman of Delhi archdiocese.