Photo: Morning Star News
Pastor Bipin Bihari Naik had just gathered with other believers for prayer in the village of Kandarsinga, Odisha State, on January 4th when a group of men burst into the home where the meeting was taking place. The men dragged the pastor outside and began to violently assault him. When Pastor Bipin's wife attempted to intervene, she was threatened with similar treatment.
The attackers accused the church leader of carrying out religious conversions among local Hindus and subjected him to more than two hours of physical abuse. During this time, he was forced to walk barefoot on thorns while being beaten and paraded through the village.
The mob eventually took Pastor Bipin to a local Hindu temple, where his head was shaved, his hands were bound, and he was forced to drink drain water mixed with cow dung. While cow feces hold religious significance for many Hindus, forced consumption is used as a form of humiliation. The assailants also attempted to coerce the abused Christian into reciting Hindu chants while forcing him to bow before an idol.
During the prolonged ordeal, Pastor Bipin thought that he would not survive the attack. Thankfully, his recollection of verses from the Bible gave him strength to endure until the authorities arrived and took him to the police station. While the police initially refused to file a complaint, a report was eventually registered against the attackers, who are believed to be associated with a militant nationalist Hindu group. However, a counter-complaint was also filed against the pastor for allegedly participating in forcible conversions.
In the aftermath of the incident, Pastor Bipin and his family have faced further hardship. Their landlord of eight years asked the Christians to vacate their home, forcing the family to temporarily return to Pastor Bipin's native village of Khamar. Speaking to reporters, his elder brother, Udaynath James, stated, "I don't think my brother will be able to gather the courage to visit the village [of Kandarsinga] again." For more information on the difficulties experienced by Christians in India, go to our country profile.
- Pray for the Holy Spirit to heal the physical and emotional wounds that were inflicted on Pastor Bipin during the attack.
- Prayerfully uphold the members of his family and congregation who witnessed this distressing event, asking that they may also be freed from the horrific trauma of the assault and find strength in the Lord's reassuring presence.
- Intercede for the villagers in Kandarsinga – including those who are opposed to the truth of the Gospel – that they would receive opportunities to experience the love of Christ and ultimately turn to Him in faith.
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