Persecution Continues Throughout India
by Staff
May 1, 2007
(christiansunite.com) - VOMC sources report that on April 17, four pastors were arrested by the local police in the Cuttack district of Orissa state after local Hindu militants saw them distributing Christian literature and accused them of forcibly converting Hindus. The four pastors -- Pran Ranjan Mali, Santosh Kumar Majhi, Jason Badra and Roshan Lima -- were released on bail the following day.On April 20, church members in Velakkudi village, Tamil Nadu dismantled their make-shift church building when a group of villagers, incited by a militant group, threatened them at knifepoint. Pastor Durai Peter and his congregation have been previously targeted by militant groups who claim that the church services are a disturbance. They also claim that the church's presence has rendered a "god" in their local temple inactive. The Christians now meet on an open plot of land.
On April 22, two pastors were beaten and jailed after twenty to twenty-five members of the Sangh Parivar Hindu militant group disrupted a prayer meeting the pastors were leading in a local believer's home in Rajanukunte village, Bangalore. At approximately 8:00 p.m. the militants surrounded the house where twenty Christians were meeting and verbally abused Pastor Jayaseelan and Pastor Daniel. When the police arrived, the pastors were ordered to accompany them to the local police station.
On the way, the militants attacked again, beating and verbally harassing the pastors and four Christians who were accompanying them. The militants accused Pastor Jayaseelan and Pastor Daniel of forced conversions. At 3:00 a.m., a magistrate sent them to the central prison.
Ask God heal those injured in these attacks. Pray that Christians in India will trust God to enable them to proclaim the Gospel even while suffering. (2 Timothy 4:16-18).
For more information on persecution in India, go to w ww.persecution.net/country/india.htm. Video footage from India on ways that VOMC is helping those who are suffering is available at www.persecution.tv.
