The Voice of the Martyrs received several reports of attacks on Christians in India over the past week.
On August 25, Pastor Heeralal Kushwaha (27) was beaten by Hindu militants on accusations of converting people in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh. When two local Christians tried to interfere, the militants threatened to kill them and the pastor with a pistol. Pastor Kushwaha has since left the area in fear of further attacks.
At approximately 12:30 p.m. on August 26, a church service was disrupted by members of the Bajrang Dal Hindu militant group and local police following a series of baptisms in Chhattisgarh. All fifty-two church members were summoned to the station for interrogation. Forty of them were allowed to leave at 4:00 p.m. but twelve were detained for further investigation. The militants then hired people to falsely testify against two of the church members, Pastor S.D. Patel (65) and Neeraj Martin (35). Both men were placed in police custody and their application for bail was rejected on
August 27.
On August 26, Pastor Emmanuel Venketesh (38) and three believers were beaten and injured by approximately twenty Hindu militants who disrupted a prayer service and accused the Christians of converting people in Kolar district, Karnataka. The pastor and another believer were stabbed and a female believer received injuries on her leg and face.
Ask God to give healing to those injured in these attacks. Pray that the two detained Christians in Chhattisgarh will be released. Pray that Indian Christians will rejoice in the opportunity to grow in Christlikeness through the ongoing opposition to their faith (James 1:2-4).
For more information on the persecution facing India's Christians, click here.
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