Pastors attacked and arrested in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh

Kuddupur, Jaunpur

On Sunday March 25 2007, the Church service carried out by the ‘Prabhu Yeshu Seva Samiti’ was being observed from a distance by a group of four police men. As the service drew to a close, one of them, the sub-inspector came forward and asked to meet the Pastor. He was led to an inner room of the Church, and started to ask Pastor Rajendra Chauhan a few questions. The Church regularly drew a following of more than a 1000 people every Sunday for the past more than three years, and the 25th of March was attended similarly.

While the questioning was going on, a jeep drew up close to the Church compound, and the Inspector from the Police Station Line Bazaar stepped out. He came in shouting loudly and to take Rajendra Chauhan and any other pastor to the police station. Thereby, amidst protests, Rajendra Chauhan and another leader of the church, Subhash Patel were taken forcibly to the police station at Line Bazaar.

We have not been able to get in touch with Rajendra Chauhan or Subhash Patel since then. When we spoke with the Police Inspector Ram Ji Singh on the 26th afternoon, he mentioned that Pastor Rajendra and Subhash had been presented before the Magistrate and have been sent to jail. He said the duo have been charged with hurting religious sentiments under section 295 (A) of the IPC. Besides this, they have also been charged under sections 298 and 125 of the IPC. Mr. Ram Ji Singh appeared every bit biased even as he informed us as to how the Pastors have insulted Hindus and have injured Hindu pride.

Members of the congregation, who are women in majority, were brutally beaten up by gangs of men waiting on the only road that connects the Church in village Kuddupur to Jaunpur. One kilometer away from the village, the area known as Ram Dayal Market is the only approach road to catch public transport for members to reach back home. Traders of the market and fundamentalists beat everyone they could see with big wooden sticks and wooden benches taken out from their shops. Frantic calls made to the police station did get some response, but even after the police force came, they made no attempt to stop the melee. The violence stopped only when all the congregation members ran helter-skelter to save themselves.

There have been requests made to the police station earlier to provide protection to the ongoing meetings but so far these requests and FIR’s have fallen on deaf ears. The copies of the same will be available with the Pastors. This seems to be a well planned and organized attack against the Christian community. No Counter FIR’s from the Pastors have been entertained by the police who are busy beating and abusing the pastors every instance they get, eye witnesses have reported. Even now reports are coming of instances of violence against members of the Church by the fundamentalists. Pastor Rajendra’s mobile has been snatched away too.

Please call Thana Incharge Ram Singh at 09415904475 and also at 05452-261421. Please also call the SP at 05452-261203 / 261660 email: spjnr@up.nic.in to register your concern and protest.

Pastors arrested in Madhya Pradesh

Pastor Juan Singh Sesobia (24) and Thogabai (25) from Khargaon district of Madhya Pradesh have been arrested on the 16th March 2007 by the local police.

The police have made a case of 295 A against them. This is a non bailable offense and means that the Pastors may have to spend a long time in jail before they are able to secure a bail.

Information has it that the police acted on the behest of a local Hindu extremist leader named Thakur.

Peace Returns To Bible College In India, 5 Still Hospitalized

Source: Assist News Service

Calm has returned to a Gospel for Asia (GFA) Bible college in Orissa, India, a week after students were assaulted and the buildings ransacked in an attack led by anti-Christian extremists.

The peaceful resolution to the volatile situation came Wednesday, March 7, after a meeting of Bible college administrators, about 20 representatives from the village and B.K. Luke, who oversees GFA's work in Orissa.

"One week ago they were hitting us and now they are shaking our hands and hugging us," Luke said. GFA leaders in the area report the attack was spearheaded by a handful of anti-Christian extremists who took advantage of a land-use issue involving the Bible college and the village. Dozens of students were injured in the Feb. 28 attack, and several of the buildings on the campus were ransacked.

The extremists demanded that the school be closed and that all GFA work in Orissa be stopped. Five people from the school -- four male students and one female staff member -- remain hospitalized as a result of their injuries.

Pastor in India Tied, Beaten with Wooden Clubs

Police collude with Hindu extremists to lure church planter into forest.

MUMBAI, India, March 13 (Compass Direct News) - Police officers and members of a Hindu extremist group in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday (March 11) lured a pastor into a remote forest, where the extremists tied his hands and feet and beat him with wooden clubs as they accused him of offering money for Hindus to convert to Christianity.

Pastor Bakhthula Anand, 48, of Bethesda Prayer House in Ambojipeta village, Medak district, is undergoing treatment for severe swelling and exhaustion after he managed to reach his home yesterday morning (March 12) at 9 a.m. despite barely being able to walk. His wrists and ankles were bleeding and swollen after the extremists from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) untied him and left him deep within the forest at 3 a.m.

The previous day, as Pastor Anand was reading the Bible alone in his home adjacent to the church, two policemen came and told him that the Ramayampet circle inspector wanted to meet with him.

"As we were walking, a short distance away, a group of around 25 to 30 Hindu extremists belonging to the RSS joined them", Pastor Anand said.

A little later, the RSS extremists shoved Pastor Anand, surrounded him and forced him to walk towards a forest area about six kilometers (four miles) from Ambojipeta village. The policemen disappeared in the confusion en route.


"Pastor Anand recognized one of the extremists – though he did not know his name - as he had attended Sunday worship at the Bethesda Prayer House occasionally for the past six months," said Dr. Sajan K. George, president of Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC).

Pastor Anand noticed that one of the RSS extremists had a bag containing ropes and wooden clubs.

"They took me to an isolated area in the interior part of the forest, tied my hands behind my back, and also tied my feet," Pastor Anand said. "The RSS activists slapped and abused me, alleging that I was using money to allure people to convert to Christianity."

The person who had attended the services at the Bethesda Prayer House made loud and angry allegations that he was witness of Pastor Anand telling people to convert. He also accused the pastor of luring people with improved economic status if they embraced Christ.

The extremists beat him with wooden clubs and sticks on his arms, legs and body as they questioned him into the wee hours of the night.

Ramayampet Circle Inspector Yadagiri Raju and Anil Kumar, sub-inspector of Shankarampet police sub-station, both denied calling Pastor Anand to the police station or having any knowledge of the assault on him.

At press time, doctors at a private facility in Ambojipeta village were examining Pastor Anand for internal injuries.

Lionel Francis, local Telangana coordinator for the GCIC, told Compass that he was awaiting medical reports before filing a First Information Report.

"This is a pattern of behavior with the RSS in this Telanga area," Francis said. "The RSS run a well-knit spy network to attack independent pastors. They attend Christian prayer services, pass on information and then plot to attack the pastors."

In the Telanga area, he added, members of the youth wing of the RSS frequently disrupt prayer services and make lewd comments to pastors walking along the road, besides making threats of physical abuse.

"But nothing can be done, as they have the tacit support of the police," Francis said. "At times," Francis said, "these RSS guys masquerade as police officials and take pastors into the forest and murder them."

Pastor Anand planted Bethesda Prayer House in 1995 and has a congregation of around 200 believers. He has a network of small churches that he has planted in Telangana Region.

Compass has reported on four previous murders of Christians in Andhra Pradesh. Pastor Goda Israel, 29, was found dead with stab wounds on February 20 in a canal in Krishna district of the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. Two pastors, K. Daniel and K. Isaac Raju, were killed near Hyderabad, the state capital, in May 2005.

And on September 11, 2000, two unidentified persons beheaded Pastor Yesu Dasu, 52, on the outskirts of Mustabad in Andhra Pradesh’s Karimnagar district.

www.compassdirect.org

Christians in Punjab Victimized for Exercising Their Civil Rights inState Election & Pastor Beaten in Rajasthan

New Delhi, March 12, 2007 (All India Christian Council)

Three pastors have been arrested and charged with attempts on thelives of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists in Bathinda, Punjab.They were sentenced by a district magistrate to 24 days policecustody under section 307 of Indian Penal Code. Sources told the AllIndia Christian Council the allegations are false and the factscontradict reports by local media which carried fabrications from VHPand Bajrang Dal activists. Another pastor was beaten in Rajasthan andpolice refused to take his complaint.

Fifteen women were having prayer in Pastor Amit Sidhu's home inBathinda, Punjab on March 10, 2007, when a group of VHP and BajrangDal leaders came and asked them to stop. The matter was brought tothe attention of other local Christians and there was a clash betweenthem and VHP and Bajrang Dal activists.

One source told the All India Christian Council that a VHP activistwas severely injured and later Pastor Kulwan Raj, Chootta Singh andHarfool Singh were booked with an attempt on the lives of VHPactivists.

On the following day, Vijay Bhardwaj, the general secretary of theVHP, and Sumit Kumar, co-coordinator of the Bajrang Dal, led a group50 Hindutva activists and attempted to attack the occupants of PastorAmit Sidhu's house. Police forces had to disperse the crowd withlathi charges and it has been reported that some of them sufferedinjuries.

Gurjit Romana, Station House Officer of city police station, whoprotected the Christians from VHP and Bajrang Dal attack has beensuspended.

The three accused pastors were produced before magistrate today andthey have been put in police custody for 24 days.

"Christians were targeted because they exercised their rights offranchise, and the VHP and Bajrang Dal activists were angry thatChristians voted against their political alliances," one victimizedChristian said.

Christian women have given a complaint to local police against VHPand Bajrang Dal leaders for abusing them.

This incident took place less then a month after Akali Dal and itsBJP alliance won the state Assembly election. The Christian communityof the state live in fear of religious fanatics' attack might occuredas it happens in BJP and its allience Government rule states.

Another Pastor Brutally Beaten in Rajasthan

In another incident, Pastor Reginald Howell of Good ShepherdCommunity Churches was brutally beaten by a fanatic group inHanumangarh, Rajasthan, on March 7, 2007. Pastor Howell went there topray for sick people along with other Christians. He was beaten withan iron rod and suffered severe injuries on his back.

He told the All India Christian Council that police refused to takehis complaint against the culprits and forced him to leave the place.He sought medial attention as he was bleeding and doctors refused togive him First Aid in fear of attack from religious fanatics. Hehired a taxi and managed to reach his hometown in Punjab.

The All India Christian Council (www.aiccindia.org), birthed in 1998,exists to protect and serve the Christian community, minorities, andthe oppressed castes. The aicc is a coalition of thousands of Indiandenominations, organizations, and lay leaders.

Source: AICC

Pastor ambushed, attacked in Bangalore

At 10:15 pm on 11th March 2007, Pastor Matthew was returning home on his two-wheeler after translating the messages into Kannada, at a meeting organized by Pastor Wilson in Chokkasandra, Peenya Dasarahalli, in the northern part of Bangalore. After he filled in petrol and left the petrol bunk, three men in an auto ambushed him on a dark stretch of road, blocking his way by stopping the auto in front of his bike. One man, wearing a cap, came out and beat him on the head with a cricket stump, but he was spared a head injury because he was wearing a helmet. The auto drove off down a dark alley to the side.

Then the attacker aimed a blow at his back, which caused Matthew severe pain. He started beating Pastor Matthew on his arms. Matthew tried to grab the stump, but in the process injured his fingers. He gathered his wits about him and was about to retaliate, and sensing this the man quickly left. Pastor Matthew went to a restaurant nearby which was open and got some assistance. He reached the home of a relative who lived in the area and rested there that night, and took medical help later.

"As it was dark, I could not see much. Also, the fact that I was wearing the helmet also obscured my vision, which is anyway not too good" says Pastor Matthew. I am in severe pain from the injuries which have caused large clots on my back and arms. I cannot sit up for long. Please pray for my early recovery."

"These fellows followed Pastor Matthew after he finished the meeting and left. They had probably been attending the meeting for the last couple of days, watching and waiting for the opportunity to strike", says a well-wisher of Pastor Matthew.

Pastor has planted a church, the Bethesda Prayer Hall, in Cholanayakanahalli, a small village now falling within Bangalore city limits. He is the son of a Pastor, and several of his brothers are also in the ministry, working in the outskirts of Bangalore city. There was an earlier incident in which one of this Broghers, Pastor Daniel, was harassed and forcibly evicted from three housed one after another, by persons opposed to his conducting prayers in his home.

Pray for peace in the city of Bangalore, and for freedom to pray and preach the gospel. Also pray that the Lord would touch the hearts of those showing opposition to the work of the Gospel in this city and all over the state and country.

Click here for source

VHP men beaten up in Punjab, probe ordered

NAVJEEVAN GOPAL

Posted online: Monday, March 12, 2007 at 0000 hrs IST

BATHINDA, MARCH 11

A day after four Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists were beaten up by a group of Christians led by a pastor at Gobindpura village near here, unrest continued with police resorting to cane-charging the protesting VHP activists which left a few injured. A magisterial inquiry was, later, ordered by Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Rahul Bhandari after the SSP’s recommendation.
After the cane-charge, agitated VHP activists raised slogans against the police and local administration, alleging a “partisan role”. They even went on to storm the Kotwali police station and were pacified only after Bathinda SSP Promod Ban personally came to the police station and assured appropriate action in the case.

Accusing DSP (City) Jatinder Singh Khaira and Kotwali Police Station SHO Gurjeet Singh Romana of bias, VHP activists demanded action against them.

“We were peacefully protesting and demanding that a case of treachery be registered against the group of Christians who attacked our activists yesterday and raised anti-national slogans after that,” VHP Punjab secretary Sukhpal Singh Sran, whose turban fell off in the melee, said.

“DSP Khaira abused us and said aaye vadde deshbhagat (Do you consider yourself patriots?) in a teasing tone, before we were cane charged,” Sran alleged.

SSP Ban said SHO Romana had been sent to Police Lines. He said DSP Khaira had also been stripped of the charge of Kotwali police station to allow the inquiry to be conducted in a fair manner.

According to police, the activists, who were more than 20 in number, were trying to forcibly barge into the house of Amit Sidhu, a pastor residing in Partap Nagar, and started pelting stones at his house. Police claimed that the cops had been posted outside the houses of some pastors, who the police feared could be attacked. SHO Romana tried to push a couple of activists away, who retaliated in protest. This led to the cane charge, sources said.

“It was necessary at that time to disperse the crowd,” Ban said and added, “Besides, it was a mild cane charge”. The SSP said no case could be registered till the magisterial inquiry is completed.

Three arrested

Police on Sunday arrested Pastor Kulwant Rai, Harphul Singh and Chhota Singh, named in a case registered under Sections 307, 325, 323, 341, 427, 148 and 149 of the IPC for the attack on VHP activists at Gobindpura village. Three more persons, namely Bhola Singh, Prem Masih and Michael, are yet to be arrested.

The four VHP activists, along with a few other activists, were returning from Gobindpura village after “foiling” an attempt by a pastor to “convert” some families into Christianity, when they were allegedly attacked with swords and other weapons.

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Compilation of news briefs from www.compassdirect.org

India Briefs: Recent Incidents of Persecution
by Nirmala Carvalho and Vishal Arora

Maharashtra, March 6 (Compass Direct News) - A mob of Hindu extremists from the Bajrang Dal on March 3 beat two Christians who were distributing tracts at the Kandivli railway station in suburban Mumbai, in Maharashtra state. Pastor Nigel Pereira of Harvest of Grace Church told Compass that Bobby D’Souza, 24, and Sandip Mohite, 21, were distributing Christian literature when a group of 55 to 60 people snatched the leaflets from their hands and began hitting and kicking them. The extremists dragged the two Christians to the Kandivli police station, beating them en route, and filed a complaint against them alleging forcible conversion and denigration of other religions. D’Souza and Mohite were later taken to Bhagwati Hospital for treatment. Abraham Mathai, vice-chairman of the state Minority Commission, told Compass that Pastor Pereira planned to file a complaint against the Bajrang Dal after receiving a medical report. – NC

Madhya Pradesh - About 15 Hindu extremists on March 2 attacked a Christian meeting in the Patakhera area of Madhya Pradesh state’s Betul district, vandalizing and looting the facility. The Christian Legal Association (CLA) reported that the extremists stormed the meeting of the independent church led by the Rev. Avinash Kanchan and started beating the believers, 25 women and five men. They slapped Pastor Kanchan, beat him with shoes and manhandled some others, though no one received serious injury. The attackers threatened the Christians, damaged a motorcycle belonging to Pastor Kanchan and took away his mobile phone, watch and Bible. Kanchan reported the incident to the Patakhera police, but when a CLA representative spoke to the police, an officer claimed no one had filed a complaint. – VA

Orissa - A mob of about 400 people stirred up by Hindu extremists belonging to the Bajrang Dal on February 28 ransacked a Gospel for Asia Bible school in the village of Kutabaga, in the Jharsuguda district of Orissa state, attacking students and staff members. Five persons were hospitalized from injuries in the attack, with one student in critical condition. The mob, armed with sticks, axes and swords, damaged Believers Church and cut electric wires on the campus, which includes the 240-student Believers Church Bible College and office buildings. The roofs of some buildings were damaged. Many extremists left the campus after authorities arrived, but soon another group of Hindu extremists from the Sangh Parivar, a loose association of Hindu militant groups, came and began shouting the slogans, "Hail Lord Rama," and "Hail Lord Bajrangbali." At press time, no arrests had been made. – NC

Maharashtra – A Hindu mother who asked a missionary to help heal her mentally handicapped daughter has pressed charges of "forcible conversion" against him after his prayers failed to improve the child’s condition. Lakshmi Shetty, a widow, requested an independent church leader identified only as Pastor Fernandez to cure her daughter. She had begun attending Sunday worship at the pastor's house in Badlapur, said Dr. Sajan K. George, national president of the Global Council of Indian Christians. On February 26, under pressure from others, George said, she filed a complaint against Pastor Fernandez in Badlapur, a suburb off Mumbai, for allegedly coercing her to become a Christian. "Pastor Fernandez is innocent and the charges are baseless," George said. "The pastor now lives in fear of being arrested." – NC

Chhattisgarh – A mob of around 80 Hindu extremists accused a pastor of forcible conversion, manhandled him and forced him to leave his home after issuing a death threat on February 25 in Chhattisgarh state's Rajnandgaon district. Dr. Sajan K. George, national president of the Global Council of Indian Christians, said extremists allegedly belonging to the Bajrang Dal, youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad or World Hindu Council, surrounded the house of India Mission Church Pastor T.N. Jose in Surgi village at about 7 p.m. on February 25. They asked him to move out of the village by the following day, warning that otherwise they cut him to pieces. The extremists forced him to sign a statement that he had come to the village to convert people to Christianity and that he was leaving on his own will. Fearing for his life, Pastor Jose moved to his relative’s house in a nearby town. The following day, however, the extremists kidnapped his sister, who runs a medical clinic in Surgi village, and locked her in a room. They said they would not release her until they found out where the pastor was hiding, but she was released the same evening. Local Christians have informed the police and demanded protection for the pastor and his family. – VA

Maharashtra – A mob armed with sticks beat five Deliver Church Bible College students on February 19 in Kolshe, near Panvel in Maharashtra state. From 15 to 20 youths used the sticks and their fists to beat Elisha Amolik, 22, Suresh Sonu Masiha, 21, Mishak Kiran Samuel, 20, Bramhanand Pradhan, 22 and Kartik Ekka, 20, who were distributing tracts on the Mumbai Goa highway at Panvel. Pradhan and Ekka sustained severe head injuries, and the other students suffered internal injuries. Doctors at Nagar Palika Hospital refused to treat them without the previous filing of a police complaint, so the students received treatment at a private hospital in Panvel. The students reportedly had prior permission to distribute the literature. Abraham Mathai, vice chairman of the Maharashtra State Minority Commission, told Compass the Hindu extremist had the tacit support of the police. – NC

Karnataka – Making accusations of "forcible conversion," Hindu extremists beat pastors and other believers and vandalized a prayer hall on February 17 in Hiriyur area of Karnataka state’s Chitradurga district. Dr. Sajan K. George, national president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), said the attack took place at a two-day meeting in a prayer hall in Harishchandra Ghat. The attackers, allegedly belonging to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council or VHP) and its youth wing Bajrang Dal, assaulted pastor Amul Raj, two guest speakers identified only as Pastor Alanghamani and Pastor Ravi, another guest identified as Sridhar and other Christians. No one was injured in the attack, but "Pastor Raj is still receiving threats on the phone," George said. He added that GCIC submitted a memorandum to the National Commission for Minorities on March 1 stating that at least 28 anti-Christian attacks took place in the state in 2006. – VA

Source: Compass Direct

Missionary attacked in J & K

Kupwara, Kashmir, India - A Salem Voice Ministries missionary in Jammu and Kashmir was attacked on March 6 in Kupwara in Jammua and Kashmir, India.

Pastor Ashir was returning home on Tuesday afternoon after a prayer meeting in a small village Rikwaza, which is about 6 miles away from Kupwara. Suddenly a group of masked people attacked him with steel pipes and wooden sticks. He was severely beaten and one of his legs was broken.

Ashir became unconscious and fell down. Some of the local people found him in the street and admitted him to the hospital.

Local police have registered a case against some unidentified militants.

Tahira, Pastor Ashir’s wife, and their four- month-old child, Noorul Masih, are also under threat.

SVM asks for prayer for the Ashir family and says that few families believe in Jesus Christ in that locality.

Rev. Paul Ciniraj, President of the Christian Ministers of the Churches in India (CMCI) who is also the Director of the Salem Voice Ministries, condemned the attack against Pastor Ashir.

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Christian pastor assaulted by Hindu extremists in Rajasthan

Pastor Reginald Howell was beaten with iron rods by Hindu militants in Rajasthan. Local police refused to follow up with report against his assailants and instead forced Howell to leave the state. Local law allows use of force to prevent conversions.

A pastor who was praying with a group of sick people was brutally beaten with iron rods by nationalist militants in the western state of Rajasthan.

Pastor Reginald Howell of Good Shepherd Community Church was holding a prayer meeting March 7th with a group of disabled people from Hanumangarh: other Christians from his community volunteers within the community were with him at the time.

Shortly after opening the meeting, a group of armed activists erupted into the prayer hall, beating the pastor on his back with iron rods. Following the attack the pastor made his way to the local hospital where he was refused treatment by doctors for fear of reprisal attacks by fanatics.

Police also refused to file his report against the aggressors and moreover forced him to leave the State and return to his home city in bordering Punjab.

Rajasthan is one of the most intolerant states towards non-Hindus. The Rajasthan Dharma Swatantrik Vidhayak [anti conversion law approved in 2006] permits “all use of force to prevent conversions” and foresees penalties of up to five years imprisonment for those found guilty.

In Rajasthan Christians represent 0.11 % of the population, Muslims 8% and Hindus 89%.
Source: Asia News

Radicals Disrupt Prayer and Peace Festival

A three day prayer-cum healing meeting 5th March - 7th March was organised by Believers Church in Panvel near Mumbai, in Maharashtra was disrupted by Hindu activists who claimed that the Believers Church was trying to lure people to convert to Christianity through the prayer meeting.

A Prayer & Healing Festival was organised by the Believers Church wasat, Panvel from 5th to 7th March.

5th March, the first day of the 'Prayer &Healing Festival' was without any incident.

However the next day March 6th around 100 Right wing Hindu Activistswent to the venue of the meeting on 6th March. As the preaching was going on, some of the radical activists walked towards the dais, grabbed the microphone and said: "Christians have come here to give the message of peace; but all the world wars have started from the European countries. These people are telling you all that, Jesus will cure you of AIDS; but their Pope died suffering from a disease named Parkinsons, why did Jesus not save the Pope's life then? Practise the rituals as prescribed by Hindu Dharmaand you shall be showered by God's blessings."

After these statements the fundamentalists began shouting Hindu slogans: such as 'Jay Bhavani, Jay Shivaji', 'Victory to Hindu Dharma'.

The radicals also lodged the complaint with Kalamboli Police against theorganization for spreading superstition and misinformation.

Source: www.persecution.in

Attack on Pastor in Hyderabad: Three held

The attack on a Pastor at a Harijan Basti in Gudi Malkapur under Asifnagar police station limits in Hyderabad on 27 February 2007 snowballed into a controversy with Hindu activists alleging that he was involved in religious conversion. This caused tension in the area, resulting in the Pastor's supporters and Hindu activists coming to blows. Thereafter both the groups approached Asif Nagar police station to file their respective complaints. There was tension at the police station premises too.

According to the police, Gudi Malkapur Methodist Church Pastor Sudharshan went to the house of B Yadamma and started to preach. When she questioned his motive, there arose arguments between the two, leading to a group fight. Krishna, who was in the crowd started to argue with the Pastor and manhandle him. In the scuffle, both of them were hurt.

Pastor Sudharshan went back to the church and told the youth about what had happened with Krishna. Infuriated, the youth rushed to the place and severely beat up Krishna.

Krishna was taken to Osmania General Hospital with injuries. The police said as per Yadamma's complaint, they booked a case and arrested Pastor Sudharshan, Antony (26), and Kennedy (24). Krishna was yet to be arrested.

Pastor Sudharshan said he did not go to the place to preach but to meet a person named Ashirvadam who was planning to rent out a portion of his house.

Source: AICC

Pastor attacked in Madhya Pradesh

2nd March 2007:

Rev. Avinash Kanchan along with 30 worshippers, most of whom were women, were beaten by around 15 Hindu extremists after a prayer meeting in Patakhera village, Betul, Madhya Pradesh.

The attackers threatened them and warned not to hold any worship service in the village. They also took away Rev. Avinash’s mobile, watch, Bible and bag and damaged his motorcycle.

Pastor Killed in Andhra Pradesh

Pastor Goda Israel (29) was found murdered on Feb. 20, in a canal near his home in Pedapallparru, Andhra Pradesh. Pastor Israel, who supervised 15 churches, went missing following a prayer meeting on Feb. 17. It is reported that he did not come back from the prayer meeting. The family and church members informed the local police station.

It is reported that Israel had been threatened by Hindu militants earlier because of his involvement in preaching the gospel in the region. Israel leaves behind a wife and small children.

He was the second Christian in India to be killed for his faith since Feb. 10, when Mr. Stanley, a retired Public Service Commission employee in the Kerala was stabbed to death by angry young people in his home in Pavaloor.