Tags

India

• Church Set on Fire

   

  

  During the night of June 12th, the Real Peace Church in Vaylur, Tamil Nadu, was set on fire by suspected Hindu nationalists. The fire destroyed the roof, which was made of coconut leaves and bamboo. By the time Pastor Ramesh noticed the flames and smoke, all the building's contents were burned and considerable structural damage had taken place. The pastor sees this as part of the ongoing persecution endured by the church which consists of approximately 100 members.

• Christian Teen Murdered

  

  An innocent teenaged boy was killed and then mutilated by Hindu militants in the village of Kenduguda, Odisha, on June 4th. Samaru Madkami was home from a residential school due to the pandemic lockdown. His father, Unga, served as a leader of the Bethel House Church which met in their home.

• Christian Families Terrorized for Weeks

  

  Mobs armed with clubs terrorized 16 families from a church in Jharkhand state every night for almost three weeks. Going to each home in the village, the militants threatened to kill the Christian family members unless they returned to the animistic Sarna religion. The oppressors would set out at night when the other families were not available to provide help and support.

• Christians Arrested for Preparing Relief Aid

  

  A pastor and seven others were assembling relief packages for the poor in their area when they were assaulted and arrested by police officers. The police falsely claimed the group had gathered for worship in numbers forbidden under COVID-19 restrictions.

• Daughter of Slain Pastor Wounded

  

  On October 13th, 2015, Pastor Chamu Hassa Purty was shot and killed while at his home in Sandih village, Jharkhand. The murder happened after he had prayed for a sick boy in a nearby village and then helped him get to hospital.

  Five years later, on the evening of April 16th, two men came to the door of the Purty home, asking if it was the home of the pastor who was killed. Threatening the family members who were there, the men shouted: "That pastor was killed, but you did not learn a lesson. You have continued assembling in large numbers for Christian prayers. Where is the woman working as a spy?" Chamu's widow insisted they were not spies and demanded that the men leave the premises.

• Christian Beaten into a Coma

   

  

  A Christian family in the village of Kodalmetla, Odisha, experienced the consequences of following Christ when they were attacked on the night of March 11th, and then again the next morning. Kama Sodi and his wife were praying together before bedtime, as was their habit, when villagers shouted death threats and then stormed into the house. Kama's wife, Bhimeshwari, was able to protect their two young children, who were pleading with the attackers to stop. The mob agreed to cease if Kama would renounce his faith in Christ and turn to their tribal religion. He refused to do so.

• Christian Symbols Removed from Cemetery

  

  A statue and crosses were removed from a Christian cemetery in Karnataka state on March 2nd by government officials after receiving complaints from non-local Hindu activists. The cemetery has been used for Christian burials for nearly 40 years without any previous problems. It has also been the location for some prayer gatherings over the years.

• Church Leader Beaten and Run Over

  

  A church leader in Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, was beaten and then run over by motorcycles, leaving him seriously injured. Pastor Isaac Paulose had just dropped off his young son at school on March 4th when a motorcycle stopped in front of his car and he was ordered out of it. Ten assailants on five motorcycles then beat him with chains and rods before running over him. After the hit and run incident, he was taken to hospital with multiple fractures and head injuries.

• Church Demolition and Arrests

  

  In the early morning of March 9th, authorities ordered the destruction of a place of worship in the town of Chelur in Karnataka State. The action was taken after governing officials received pressure from Hindu militants in the area. Local Christians were able to capture the destruction on video. To view the footage, see this page.

• Children Beaten and Threatened

  

  Christians in the village of Malasamudra, Karnataka were gathered for worship in the early morning of January 19th when 20 Hindu militants from the village came up the steps and began taking photos and videos. Those gathering attempted to stop the intruders from taking pictures of the children but were pushed away. The militants then began to beat the children while restraining the adults. The mob finally left but only after issuing a warning: "If we hear that you stepped out of your homes and told anybody about this, we will set your homes on fire and burn you alive."