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India

• Pastor's Wife Rescued from Forced Prostitution

  

  Pastor Ramdrash and his wife Sunita have been ministering in a small church since 2001. Over the years, they've endured frequent threats from members of the surrounding community. On February 21st, Sunita was approached by someone in the village who asked if she would come pray for someone who had allegedly been ill. She innocently went with the villager, and then all of a sudden disappeared.

• Persecution Sanctioned by Authorities

  

  Persecution in India comes from many sources. Religious disagreements among family or neighbours can escalate to violence, or Hindu leaders may openly oppose the spread of the Gospel in a community. While such incidents may be reported to the police, legal assistance does not always result. In many instances, police may even join in the harassment of Christians.

• Increasing Pressure from Hindu Nationalists

  

  For many years, the Hindu Nationalist organization RSS has been an influential factor in Indian politics, particularly within the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). One of the goals of the RSS is to change India from a secular democracy to a nation governed by Hindu polity. One way this is being achieved is through the passing of anti-conversion laws to prevent people from converting from Hinduism.

• Intervention Rescues Captured Pastor

  

  Pastor Shelton Vishwanathan was sharing his faith in the village of Tiryani on October 5th when six Hindu militants demanded that he stop. He agreed and was about to leave the area when they grabbed the keys to his scooter, along with his cell phone, and began to beat him. The last thing he remembered was the threat to offer him as a sacrifice to their god. When he regained consciousness, he found himself locked in a dark room.

• Christians Face Rising Threats

  

  Christians in India are facing horrific levels of violence from Hindu radical extremists. This deadly campaign coincides with a government agenda to turn the country into a Hindu nation. A report from VOM Canada's partner, CBN News, provides context for some of the situations being reported. Click here to view the report.

• Pastor Killed by Rebels

  

  On July 10th, Pastor Munshi Devu Tado was leading a worship service for a small group on his property when armed Maoist rebels approached. According to his wife, they shook hands with the pastor and then tied his hands behind his back and led him away. The rebels then told family members that they wanted to talk to him. A few minutes later, a gunshot was heard. Pastor Munshi was found dead on the ground and, by this point, the attackers were gone.

• Christian Man Slain for His Faith

  

  Kande Mudu, also known as Philip, was a 27-year-old man who converted to Christianity four years ago. His family were the only Christians in the village of Bari in Jharkhand; and ever since their conversion, they have faced opposition and threats from other villagers. In 2018, the family's home was attacked and Kande's mother-in-law was gang raped. Five of the six attackers were convicted but the sixth perpetrator continued threatening to harm Kande if he refused to abandon his faith.

• Church Set on Fire

   

  

  During the night of June 12th, the Real Peace Church in Vaylur, Tamil Nadu, was set on fire by suspected Hindu nationalists. The fire destroyed the roof, which was made of coconut leaves and bamboo. By the time Pastor Ramesh noticed the flames and smoke, all the building's contents were burned and considerable structural damage had taken place. The pastor sees this as part of the ongoing persecution endured by the church which consists of approximately 100 members.

• Christian Teen Murdered

  

  An innocent teenaged boy was killed and then mutilated by Hindu militants in the village of Kenduguda, Odisha, on June 4th. Samaru Madkami was home from a residential school due to the pandemic lockdown. His father, Unga, served as a leader of the Bethel House Church which met in their home.

• Christian Families Terrorized for Weeks

  

  Mobs armed with clubs terrorized 16 families from a church in Jharkhand state every night for almost three weeks. Going to each home in the village, the militants threatened to kill the Christian family members unless they returned to the animistic Sarna religion. The oppressors would set out at night when the other families were not available to provide help and support.