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India

  • Pastor Beaten by Militants in Madhya Pradesh

    Pastor Teras Khaka was beaten by forty members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Hindu militant group when they stormed a prayer meeting in Sehore District on June 16. According to a June 19 report from Compass Direct, when Pastor Khaka lodged a complaint against the attackers, they filed a counter-complaint of forcible conversion against him.

    Ask God to give healing to Pastor Khaka. Pray that he will take comfort in the fact that God commends those who suffer for doing good (1 Peter 2:20-21). Pray that the faithfulness of Indian Christians will be a light that draws others to Christ (Matthew 5:14-16).

    For more information on the persecution of Christians in India,click here. Go to www.vomcanada.com to view a number of VOMC video reports and testimonies on India.
  • Recent Update on Pastor Raj
    Pastor Hosula Raj
    Photo from    GCIC
    Pastor Hosula Raj, who was assaulted by militants on May 13 (click here for more details), was attacked again in the village of Pandavapura, Karnataka on June 16. At approximately 10:00 a.m., Hindu militants forcibly entered Pastor Raj's home, accused him of forcible conversion and beat him when he refused to tell them the whereabouts of his wife, Geeta. Following her husband's May 13 beating, Geeta and their infant son went into hiding when she and Raj were falsely charged with forcibly converting Hindus. Pastor Raj sustained injuries to his face, hands and legs in this latest attack.
  • Christians Beaten, Accused of Forcible Conversion in Karnataka
    Pastor Laxmi Narayana
    Photo from    Compass Direct
    Pastor Laxmi Narayana (35) was attacked by members of the Hindu militant organization Bajrang Dal in the city of Hesargetta, Karnataka on June 8. According to the All India Christian Council, at approximately 7:00 p.m., fifty militants stormed into Pastor Narayana's home and threatened him with violence if he did not leave the area. Shortly thereafter, 100 more militants arrived and assaulted Narayana in front of his wife and two small children. One of the attackers doused Pastor Narayana with kerosene and attempted to set him on fire with a burning Bible. The militants then stripped Narayana naked, hung a sign around his neck that said, "I am the one who converts people" and paraded him through the city streets while over 1,000 Hindus joined in harassing him. He is currently in hospital with swelling and numerous bruises.

    On June 10, nine Christians were attacked in the town of Siris, Karnataka by members of the militant Hindu organization Hindu Jagarana Vedike (HJV) who accused them of committing forcible conversions. The militants barged into a house where the believers were gathered for Sunday worship, disrupted the service and tore pages from a song book. They then handed the believers over to the police, claiming they had been conducting conversions for the past three months in a local hut.

    Pray that these Christians will come into a deeper relationship with Christ as they embrace the fellowship of His sufferings (Philippians 3:7-10). Ask God to give those injured a speedy recovery. Pray that those who persecute will come to know Christ as Lord.

    For more information on the persecution of Christians in India,click here. VOMC's multimedia website, www.vomcanada.com has several features from India.
  • Christians Beaten in Madhya Pradesh

    At approximately 2:30 pm on June 3, a mob of Hindu militants disrupted a church service that Pastor Mukesh Pal was conducting in his home. The militants threatened the believers present with dire consequences if they did not leave. They warned Pastor Pal against continuing his Christian work in the area and also damaged the building.

    In a separate incident on June 3, the home of Pastor Bheem Singh in Kharward district was attacked after he returned from a Sunday morning service. Singh's aged father and his wife were injured.

    Ask God to strengthen and heal those who have been assaulted. Pray that the faithfulness of Indian Christians will be a light that draws others to Christ (Matthew 5:14-16).

    For more information on the continuing persecution of Christians in India,click here. Several videos on the persecution of Christians in India are available on VOMC's multimedia website, www.vomcanada.com.
  • Christians Attacked by Militants, Accused of Forcible Conversion

    The Voice of the Martyrs received several reports of continuing violence against Christians in India this week.

    On May 21, a pastor and a church elder in the town of Bangarpet, Karnataka were beaten by members of the militant Hindu organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for distributing gifts at a vacation Bible school. According to a May 25 report from the All India Christian Council, the militants accused the Christians of using the gifts to convert children to Christianity. Both men were arrested by the police and later released.

    On May 23, two evangelists, Bernard Christopher and Ravinder Gautam, were beaten, tortured and tonsured by approximately forty-two Hindu militants in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. The militants also forcibly "reconverted" the Christians to Hinduism and threatened to kill them if they did not flee the district.

    Also on May 23, seven evangelists were arrested in the village of Sira Taluk, Andhra Pradesh after local Hindu militants accused them of forcibly converting local Dalits to Christianity. They were interrogated and released with a warning.

    On May 25, evangelists J. Tumada and R. Dilat were stripped, beaten and accused of forcible conversion by approximately twenty Hindu militants while returning home from a prayer meeting in the village of Sakwar, Maharashtra. Later that evening, four of the militants also stripped and beat two other believers while they were returning home from a prayer meeting in the village of Bhui Gaon and accused them of also forcibly converting villagers.

    Ask God to give strength and healing to these Christians. Pray that they will continue to give themselves fully to the work of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:50-58). Pray that their persecutors will see that their message is one of a free gift, not coercion, and respond in faith to Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9).

    For more information on persecution in India,click here. Videos of interviews and recent attacks on Christians in India are available online at www.vomcanada.com.
  • Evangelist Attacked, Arrested in Madhya Pradesh

    Pastor Kunal Pariacha, an evangelist from the Indian Evangelical Mission, was attacked by members of the Siva Sena Hindu militant group in Narayanpur village, Madhya Pradesh while he was preparing show the Jesus film on the evening of May 14. The militants beat Pastor Pariacha and dragged him to the local police station where a complaint was registered against him under Section 153 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 4 of the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act. He was brought to court on May 15 but denied bail.

    Dr. Joseph D'souza, president of the All India Christian Council, has written an open letter to the leaders of India urging action in the face of increasing persecution of Christians in the nation. To read the letter, click here. The Voice of the Martyrs would urge you to write to India's Prime Minister as well, using the address supplied in this letter.

    Pray that all charges against Pastor Kunal will be dropped and that he will be released. Ask that his persecution will embolden his faith (Acts 4:29 -31). Ask God to enable Indian Christians to proclaim the Gospel even while suffering (2 Timothy 4:16-18).

    For more information on the persecution facing Christians in India,click here.
  • Militants Disrupt Church Services, Beat Christians in Karnataka

    On May 13, approximately twenty-five Hindu militants attacked a morning worship service at a Village Vision India church in the town of Kushalnagar. The militants destroyed Bibles and beat several Christians, including Pastor Channiagha and Pastor George. They told Pastor George to stop converting people to Christianity. The two pastors were taken to the police station and released at 10:30 p.m. Meanwhile, at approximately 6:30 p.m., militants went to Pastor George's house and assaulted his wife along with their one-year-old daughter.

    Pastor Titus with a fellow believer
    Photo from    GCIC
    Also in Kushalnagar on May 13, police and six Hindu militants beat three Christians in Nagegowda district and threatened to murder Pastor D. Titus. At approximately 5:00 p.m., the police, along with the militants, went to Bethel Ministries Church in search of Pastor Titus. When they did not find Titus there, the militants went to his house where they beat three believers after questioning them about his whereabouts.

    Pastor Hosula Raj
    Photo from    GCIC
    On May 13, in the village of Pandavapura, Karnataka, Pastor Hosula Raj was beaten by a mob of approximately thirty Hindu militants who disrupted a morning worship service. The militants, some armed with clubs, beat several Christians including Pastor Hosula, who was then bound in chains and dragged to the local police station where they complained that he was committing forced conversions. He was charged under Section 295-A of the Indian Penal Code.

    Pray that all charges against Pastor Hosula will be dropped. Ask that God will give healing to all those injured. Pray that Christians in India will keep their eyes on Jesus, persevere in their faith, and not grow weary or lose heart. (Hebrews 10:32-39; 12:1-3).

    For more information on the persecution facing Christians in India,click here. Video reports from India are also available on the multimedia website, www.vomcanada.com.
  • Christians Beaten in Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh
    Mrs. Annapurna with her husband,
    Pastor Bakhthula Anand
    Photo from    GCIC
    At approximately 8:00 p.m. on May 2, Mrs. Annapurna (35) was beaten by Hindu militants in the town of Ramayanpet in Uttar Pradesh state. Mrs. Annapurna assists her husband, Pastor Bakhthula Anand, in the church activities of the Bethesda Prayer House in Ambojipeta. On March 11, Pastor Anand was beaten by Hindu militants (click here for more details) and he has received death threats for his Christian work in the area.

    According to Compass Direct, on the evening of May 3, twenty Christians were beaten with clubs by a group of Hindu militants while they were gathered in the home of Dr. Vijay Pradhan in Sarguja district, Chhattsigarh state. One Christian's leg was broken and several others sustained minor injuries.

    Pray that the work of Mrs. Annapurna and her husband will continue on unhindered. Pray that Christians in India will rest in the fact that those who share in Christ's sufferings also share in His glory (Romans 8:15-17).

    For more information on the persecution of Christians in India,click here. Several video features on India are available on VOMC's multimedia website, www.vomcanada.com.
  • Marthoma Churches Attacked in Karnataka

    As believers were concluding their Sunday worship service at the Marthoma Church in Narasapur, Karnataka on May 6, at least fifty Hindu militants arrived, beat some of the Christians and demanded that the church be permanently closed within ten days. At least six were injured. The militants demanded that the Christians hand over two evangelists, Jayray and James, but someone said they had left for another mission church in Baelemananahalli. When the militants rushed to the Baelemananahalli church and did not find them there, they beat several of the believers present. A police report has been filed but there were no arrests at last report.

    Pray for the healing of those injured in the attacks. Pray for the continued faithfulness of those involved in spreading the Gospel in this region.

    For more information on the persecution of Christians in India,click here.
  • Pastor Beaten in Rajasthan

    Pastor Walter Masih was severely beaten by approximately twenty youths from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad militant group on April 29 in Jaipur, Rajasthan. At approximately 1:30 p.m., three youths knocked on the door of Masih's house in Nandpuri Bazar and told his wife that they wanted to meet with him. When Masih opened the door in order to speak with the visitors, several masked militants arrived and forcibly entered his home. They beat Masih with rods in front of his wife and seven-year-old daughter, ransacked his house and then dragged him outside. A neighbour who witnessed the attack ran to the local police station. Police were able to intervene and Masih was rushed to the hospital.

    At last report, police had arrested five suspects. The local media is also under investigation for its connection with the incident since the militants invited a local TV station to film the assault. Video footage of the attack can be viewed at Google Videos.

    Pray that the perpetrators of this crime will be brought to justice. Ask God to give Walter a speedy recovery. Pray that he and his family will rely the Lord's strength and not on their own (2 Corinthians 1:8-9)

    For more information on the persecution of Christians in India,click here.

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