Christian Teen Severely Injured in Acid Attack

Map of Bihar State in India and national flag

Nitish Kumar, 16, a resident of northern India's Bihar state, was attacked with acid in late August, leaving him with burns covering 60 percent of his body. According to the victim's sister, Raja Davabi, the incident happened at 6:30 a.m. as he left the house to go to the market.

With the help of a local pastor, Nitish was rushed to a nearby clinic where he was treated and then, due to the severity of his injuries, sent to a specialized burn unit located in the city of Patna. The motives behind the attack are not officially known. However, members of the Christian community believe it is the work of anti-Christian activists in the village, since Nitish and his brother Sanjith are active in the local church and conduct daily prayer gatherings. The teen's family came to faith in Christ two years ago.

A local pastor stated, on condition of anonymity, that "there has been increased anti-Christian sentiment, and attacks against Christians in the district are increasing." For more information on the persecution of Christians in India, go to our country report.

Lift up Nitish in your prayers, asking God to bring about quick and complete healing for this injured Christian teen. Please also pray for his concerned family and friends, as they now must deal with the horrific nature of this attack. May those responsible for this crime be brought to justice and, through the Lord's abounding mercy, come to realize the seriousness of what they have done, experience sincere repentance of their sins, and ultimately surrender their lives to Christ. Finally, intercede on behalf of the ongoing ministry of the small church in this village, praying that it will be mightily used to bless all the members of the village community, even in the midst of the heightened anti-Christian sentiment.

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.

India News

  • Supreme Court to Review Anti-Conversion Laws
    The India Supreme Court building is surrounded by trees.
    The Supreme Court of India.
    Photo: Wikimedia / Subhashish Panigrahi (cc)

    The Supreme Court of India has agreed to hear a series of petitions challenging the constitutionality of anti-conversion laws enacted by several of the country's states. On September 16th, the court issued notices to the respective state governments, requesting their formal responses within four weeks. The case is scheduled to be heard in six weeks, and the judges have indicated that they may consider ordering the states to pause the enforcement of their existing laws until a decision is made.

  • New Policies Further Restrict Religious Freedom
    A brightly lit church building is filled with people.
    A church in India.
    Photo: Flickr / Ashish Kumar Milap (cc)

    Recent developments in two Indian states have raised serious concerns for Christians, particularly in relation to the newly heightened restrictions on religious conversions. In the first incident, police in Chhattisgarh notified more than 200 house churches around the state capital city of Raipur that worship gatherings within private homes are no longer permitted.

  • Pastors Arrested and Assaulted
    A crowd is gathered around a church building.
    A screenshot of people disrupting the service in Bhilai.
    Photo: Morning Star News

    On July 20th, six pastors were arrested after a mob disrupted a church service in Bhilai, a city located within the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. The assailants chanted Hindu slogans and accused the pastors of engaging in forcible conversions. As the mob grew increasingly vocal, shouting obscenities and threatening violence, Pastor Baksh locked the church doors to protect his congregation members.

  • Severe Restrictions Accompany Anti-Conversion Legislation
    A church congregation is gathered during a service.
    A church in India.
    Photo: World Watch Monitor

    In early July, the Maharashtra state government announced plans to introduce stringent anti-conversion legislation. The new laws, which are expected to be the most severe of their kind in the country, are particularly aimed at preventing religious conversions within tribal communities. While the stated intent is to prevent incidents of coercion, legislators have used language demonstrating a broader aim to restrict religious conversions of any sort. During the announcement, the state's revenue minister, Chandrashekhar Bawankule, declared that the law would be so strict "no one will dare to undertake religious conversion."