At approximately 12:00 p.m. on September 12, a Christian named Xaxa (52) was beaten by Hindu militants in Annuppur district, Madhya Pradesh. The militants had reportedly targeted him in an attempt to protest against the central government. One of the assailants was a man who attacked Xaxa in June after accusing him of running a school in order to convert people. Xaxa is reportedly suffering severe pain from the injuries he sustained.
On September 15, six Gospel for Asia (GFA) Bible college students were attacked by Hindu militants while distributing Christian literature and evangelizing in Gujarat. According to a September 17 GFA report, the militants accused the believers of trying to forcibly convert people to Christianity. Their literature was confiscated and burned. One of the students managed to escape during the attack in order to get help from GFA leaders. The remaining five were taken to the local police station but when the leaders arrived, they had been released without charge. None of the believers were severely injured.
Pray for healing for Xaxa. Pray that the Bible college students will be emboldened to continue spreading the gospel (Acts 4:29-31). Ask God to give safety and strength to Pastor Singh, his family and his congregation as they recover from the attack.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in India, go to the India Country Report.