Militants Disrupt Church Services, Beat Christians in Karnataka

On May 13, approximately twenty-five Hindu militants attacked a morning worship service at a Village Vision India church in the town of Kushalnagar. The militants destroyed Bibles and beat several Christians, including Pastor Channiagha and Pastor George. They told Pastor George to stop converting people to Christianity. The two pastors were taken to the police station and released at 10:30 p.m. Meanwhile, at approximately 6:30 p.m., militants went to Pastor George's house and assaulted his wife along with their one-year-old daughter.

Pastor Titus with a fellow believer
Photo from GCIC
Also in Kushalnagar on May 13, police and six Hindu militants beat three Christians in Nagegowda district and threatened to murder Pastor D. Titus. At approximately 5:00 p.m., the police, along with the militants, went to Bethel Ministries Church in search of Pastor Titus. When they did not find Titus there, the militants went to his house where they beat three believers after questioning them about his whereabouts.

Pastor Hosula Raj
Photo from GCIC
On May 13, in the village of Pandavapura, Karnataka, Pastor Hosula Raj was beaten by a mob of approximately thirty Hindu militants who disrupted a morning worship service. The militants, some armed with clubs, beat several Christians including Pastor Hosula, who was then bound in chains and dragged to the local police station where they complained that he was committing forced conversions. He was charged under Section 295-A of the Indian Penal Code.

Pray that all charges against Pastor Hosula will be dropped. Ask that God will give healing to all those injured. Pray that Christians in India will keep their eyes on Jesus, persevere in their faith, and not grow weary or lose heart. (Hebrews 10:32-39; 12:1-3).

For more information on the persecution facing Christians in India, click here. Video reports from India are also available on the multimedia website, www.vomcanada.com.

India Information

  • Current Ministry Projects

    VOMC assists persecuted Christians with legal support and rehabilitation assistance, and cares for children of martyrs by providing them with a safe place to be nurtured physical and spiritually. VOMC also partners to equip Christians in India with Biblical training and works to strengthen and support marginalized and persecuted Christian women. Additionally, VOMC helps to provide medical assistance to believers who have faced injuries after being attacked.”

    Project Funds: Families of Martyrs, Equipping the Saints, Legal Defense, Relief and Development, Women’s Ministry, Medical Fund

  • Country Information

    Population
    1,399,179,585 (2023 est.)

    Ethnicity (%)
    Indo-Aryan (72), Dravidian (25), other (3)

    Religion (%)
    Hinduism (79.8), Muslim (14.2), Christianity (2.3), Sikh (1.7), other (2)

    Leader
    President Droupadi Murmu (2022)

    Government type
    Federal parliamentary republic

    Legal system
    Based on English common law; separate personal law codes apply to Christians, Hindus and Muslims.

    Source: CIA World Factbook

  • Pray for India

    Despite the intimidation and violence that have taken place in many of India's states, may Christians wisely yet unashamedly preach the Gospel. Pray that indigenous Christians and foreign missionaries will minister in ways that do not hint at fraudulent conversions, unmasking the intentions behind the anti-conversion legislation. Intercede for India's leaders, that they may reign with justice and righteousness.

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India News

  • Christians Banned from Eight Villages
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    A field that was looted in Michwar village.
    Photo: Christian Solidarity Worldwide

    On November 17th, the leaders of eight villages in Sukma, a district in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, passed a joint resolution that prohibits Christians from staying in their communities. As a result of the decision, all Christian residents have been required to renounce their faith or leave. The order impacts around 100 believers, whose fields, properties and belongings were threatened with confiscation if they did not comply. One local chief who supported the decree claimed that the village council supersedes the Indian Constitution, thus negating any arguments about the believers' right to freedom of belief.

    Read more...

  • Police Watch as Christians Suffer Mob Attack
    A large gateway to a section of a town.
    The entrance to a Hindu complex.
    Photo: Wikipedia / Ms. Sarah Welch

    As police officers stood by and watched, hundreds of people attacked 14 Christians in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on October 30th. The violent incident occurred after the victimized followers of Jesus refused to abandon their Christian faith, despite orders from tribal leaders to do so.

    Read more...

  • Christians Accused of Forcibly Converting Children
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    Photo: VOMC
     

    Recently, 11 female evangelists from the southern states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh travelled from Hyderabad (the capital of Telangana state) to Bhagwanpur (a town located within the northeastern state of Bihar) in order to spread the "Good News" of the Gospel in villages surrounding the area.

    Read more...

  • Pastor Sentenced for Alleged Forced Conversions
    Three men are standing on a shaded pathway. One of the men has his Bible open and is speaking with the other two.
    A pastor in India sharing God's Word.
    Photo: VOM International
     

    A church leader in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh has been convicted on false charges of forcing Hindus to convert to Christianity. On September 25th, a court in Jhabua sentenced Pastor Vikas Nimach to five years in prison and ordered him to pay a fine of over $1,600 CAD. His legal team intends to appeal the recent verdict, claiming that the trial lawyer mishandled the proceedings.

    Read more...

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