Hindu extremists in Pratapgarh, Rajasthan State have threatened to kill a pastor after beating his family and violating an agreement to stop attacking them. Pastor Shantilal Ninama of Believers Church said that Hindu extremists beat his 65-year-old father until he fell unconscious in one of the attacks last month. After agreeing to do no further harm to Pastor Ninama and his family in exchange for him dropping police charges he'd filed over a previous attack, the Hindu extremists stormed into his home on the evening of June 8 and began beating his father, sister, wife and three children. As the pastor sought police help, his father fell unconscious and his wife and two of his children ran out into the darkness. Another daughter hid beneath a bed, and his sister escaped and hid in a valley.
The Rev. Prabhatkar Malladi, secretary of the Udaipur Diocese in Rajasthan, shared that the extremists were threatening to kill the pastor. "The villagers are not allowing any Christian leaders to enter into the village to meet Pastor Ninama, but we are taking necessary steps to help the pastor, and one advocate is now taking up the case," he said.
Pray for the Lord's protection upon Pastor Shantilal, his family and all Christians in the area. Pray his father will make a full recovery. Pray the Lord will minister to the perpetrators and those in authority involved in the case, using this incident as a witness for the gospel.
Learn more about the tribulations that befall Christians in India at the India Country Report.