Church Leaders Face Persecution in Karnataka

Several attacks in recent days in the Indian state of Karnataka demonstrate the difficulties facing Christian leaders in India, according to two reports on September 8 from Compass Direct.

On September 1, Pastor John Prabhu was at a home in Bangalore, praying for a church member's newborn child when as many as twenty-five Hindu militants dragged him from the meeting, beat him, and took him to a nearby Hindu temple. There they forced the Assembly of God pastor to kneel before the temple idols. He was then taken to the local police station where he was detained for several hours for questioning. The mob accused Prabhu of involvement in attempted forced conversions.

Two days later, on September 3, a 60-year-old evangelist from the Subramanaya district was robbed and beaten when he was ambushed on a dark country road. Varghese Thomas had started a small congregation in the village of Guttigar when some of the local Hindus began questioning some of his co-workers about reports of conversions to Christianity taking place. Sensing potential trouble, a meeting was called between Thomas and his accusers by Jyothi Premananda, a member of the local village council. As Thomas was traveling to the meeting, he saw an apparent motorcycle accident and stopped to see if the driver was injured. When he bent over the driver, the "victim" suddenly blew chili powder into Thomas' eyes. Fifteen Hindu militants then jumped from the bushes and began beating him with sticks as his wife, Leelama, watched helplessly from their vehicle. One of the attackers came up to the vehicle and told her they would both face a cruel death if they continued preaching in Guttigar. Though a police report was filed, no charges have been laid. Despite accusations of tricking people into coming to prayer meetings on the promise of a better life, Thomas insists that he had never used financial or material assistance to pressure people to come to Christ.

The logo of the Mar Thoma Church

On the same day, two pastors of the Mar Thoma mission in the coastal town of Akkiallur were arrested following an attack by approximately 150 Hindu protestors. Santosh George and Madhu Mohan were leading a house church meeting when the mob ordered them from the house. The mob, accompanied by reporters and police, demanded that the pastors bring out all their Bibles and literature, which they confiscated as "evidence" that the pastors were forcibly converting Hindus to Christianity in surrounding villages. The two have been released on bail but a hearing is scheduled for September 16.

Pray that Pastor John Prabhu will have boldness and wisdom as he continues the work God has given him (1 Peter 5:1-4, Ephesians 6:18-20). Pray that God will bring about justice for Evangelist Varghese Thomas (Psalm 140). Pray that he and his wife will be protected from future attacks. Pray that God will give Santosh George and Madhu Mohan the words they need as they stand before their accusers on September 16 (Matthew 10:19).

For more information on the persecution facing Christians in India, click here. Video reports on the persecution of Christians in India are also available on VOMC's multimedia website, https://www.vomcanada.com/.