Anti-Christian hate crimes perpetrated by Hindu radicals now extend to interrupting church services and beating a minister in front of his congregation.

Monday, August 27, 2007

Hindu Radicals Beat Up Pastor and Church Members

By James Varghese
Special to ASSIST News Service

MALLURU, KOLAR, KARNATKAKA, INDIA (ANS) -- A group of 30 Hindu radicals beat up an Indian pastor and two of his church members during a worship service on Sunday, August 26.

This incident took place in Mulluru village, Kolar District, Karnataka State in India. The pastor who was attacked was Immanuel Venkatesh who ministers at an independent church called Yesu Prithisuthane [Jesus Loves] Church.
The attack took place at 11:30 AM on Sunday as the congregation had stood for the reading the Bible. A group of 30 Hindu extremists from the Bajrang Dal group arrived on motorbikes and some walking. They entered the church and began shouting. [Bajrang Dal is sometimes translated as “Monkey Brigade” and is the youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), and one of its family of organizations (Sangh Parivar) based on the core ideology of Hindutva.]

They approached the pastor and one of them loudly asked him, “What are you doing here? Who gave you the right to do this activity? You are an outsider (from other state).”

They began to beat up the pastor and delivered several blows to his chest and back. The church members present tried to intervene and prevent further blows. They managed to lock him in a nearby room. In the meantime, a church member named Yenkataraju was beaten up and blows on his face and then stabbed with a knife, leaving him badly wounded.

On hearing the commotion, the pastor came out of the room and again the extremists attacked him and as he lay on the floor, about ten of the attackers kicked him savagely. Seeing this, Thimmakka, a lady member and the house owner of the rented house church, tried to intervene and they then punched on her on the face and back, and broke several of her teeth.

One of the assailants then held the knife close to the pastor and said, “We’ll kill you if you won’t stop this activity.”

Ravi, one of the onlookers from the church called managed to escape and inform the local police and they soon arrived and took the pastor and the assailants into their custody.

Two of the church members’ sustained severe injuries have since undergone treatment.

Previous Attack

Speaking to ANS, Pastor Immanuel said, “Eight years back, these radicals had lodged a complaint against me and wanted me arrested on charges on conversion. But the police officials supported us and helped us.”

Pastor Venakatesh has been ministering in this house church for the past 20 years. The group has no building and church construction is under progress and they are conducting their worship service in a rented house. Around 80 people gather for the worship service each Sunday.

Dr. H.T Sangliana, a Member of Parliament and the former Commissioner of Police condemned these attacks. Talking to ANS he said, “These attacks on Christians are increasing day by day. Measures need to be taken to stop these atrocities on Christians.”


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James Varghese is a reporter for the “V” TV news in Gokak, Karnataka state, India, and is freelance journalist working for ANS.

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Hate crimes perpetrated against Christians continue on a regular basis in India, according to reports like this.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Pastor and His Wife Arrested For Charges of Conversion

By James Varghese
Special to ASSIST News Service

BIJAPUR, KARNATAKA STATE, INDIA (ANS) -- A pastor and his wife have been arrested on charges of conversion on Thursday, August 9th, in the Bijapur district of Karnataka State, India.

The incident took place as Pastor Victor Paul and his wife Glory were on an outreach doing door to door evangelism, distributing gospel pamphlets in Jala nagar area of Bijapur district. As they went around they came across a man who runs a grocery store in the area. This person requested Pastor Paul to visit his house.

Pastor Paul and his wife went inside his house and shared the gospel with the members of his family and suddenly the man, and one of his colleagues, started to beat the pastor. They badly hit him on his face and head. Then they took their photograph and took them on a rickshaw to the nearby police station. The man lodged a complaint against them on the charges of conversion. The police then arrested the pastor and his wife from his house by 7.30 p.m.

The arrested pastor and his wife will be taken to the Third Judicial First class Magistrate court tomorrow (Friday, August 10). Until then they will remain in Police custody.

Talking to ANS Pastor Paul said, "I request each and every member in the Body of Christ to pray for our release at the earliest."

Details of the Pastor:

Pastor Victor Paul ministers at a church called Rehoboth House of Worship at S.R colony, Bijapur in Karnataka state in India. He has ministry networks in two other places called Yogapur and Amar Colony. His church has a congregation of 40 members. He has been doing the ministry in this place since one and half years. He has two children named Sam and Vinay.

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Wednesday, July 25, 2007

50-year-old Indian Christian stoned and beaten to death in Kerala

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

KERALA, INDIA (ANS) -- An argument over a stray cow led to the beating death of a middle-aged Christian believer in Kerala, India.

According to a report from the Salem Voice Ministries News Service, a group of seven Hindu youth forcibly entered a Christian house and killed the houseowner on July 23 at Helibriya, near Elappara in the Highrange District called Idukki of Kerala state in India.

Paulraj was beaten to death following an argument over a stray cow.

It all started when a few days ago Paulraj's cow entered Raju's cultivated land. Raju became angry and cruelly beat the cow. There followed a quarrel going between the two men.

In connection with this incident, Prince, the younger son of Paulraj and Soman and the son of Raju had a fight on Monday evening. Suddenly Raju gathered a group of men and they entered the house of Paulraj to kill him.

Paulraj tried to escape when the attackers came to the house, but they stoned him as he was falling fallen down. Then the attackers beat him to death with steel pipes and sticks. Prakash, the elder son of Paulraj told Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service.

Maria Selvi, wife of Paulraj was also severely beaten by the suspected attackers.

The dead body of Paulraj was sent to Kottayam Medical College for the post mortem.

"Raju is a fanatic and gathers Hindu youths to give training against Christians," says a local Christian, who was afraid to give his name.

P.K.G. Simon, the Deputy Superintendent of Police of Kattappana, is investigating the case. Raju, Balan, Anil Kumar, Pal, Sibin, Soman and Anish were arrested.

Rev. Paul Ciniraj, the President of the Christian Ministers of the Churches of India (CMCI) and Director of Salem Voice Ministries, condemned the incident. He visited the victim's house and prayed for the family members that they may be sealed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ for a mighty protection. He acknowledged the quick police action in arresting the suspects.


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PO Box 609
Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA

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Friday, June 1, 2007

Missionary Threatened With Death
Gospel for Asia
For Immediate Release

UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (ANS) -- Anti-Christian extremists in Uttar Pradesh, India, have threatened to kill Gospel for Asia missionary Daya Marandi if he does not leave the area where he is currently ministering. The extremists have also made unspecified threats to harm about 60 people who worship at a GFA-affiliated church where Daya serves as pastor. The extremists are demanding that believers in the church denounce Christianity and return to their former religions.

GFA President K.P. Yohannan asks Christians around the world to pray earnestly for Daya and for the area in which he ministers.

"Please pray for this entire state of Uttar Pradesh. It has a population of about 150 million people and it is one of the most unreached states in all of India," K.P. explained.

This incident leading to the death threat began when extremists learned that Daya was purchasing land on which to construct a church. The extremists tried to get the landowner to back out of the sale. They even tried to buy the land themselves so that Daya could not purchase it.

When their attempts to halt the land purchase failed, the extremists became angry and the situation escalated. They approached the pastor and demanded that everyone in his congregation turn away from Christianity and return to their former religions. At this same time, a local newspaper published an unflattering article about Daya.

Seeing that the pastor and the members of his church refused to budge, the extremists escalated their threats and told Daya they would kill him if he continued to minister in Uttar Pradesh.

Anti-Christian extremists also recently assaulted two other GFA missionaries working in Uttar Pradesh. The missionaries were able to escape from the extremists unharmed. K.P. also asks you to pray for these two men and that many people who heard the Gospel message that day will come to know Christ in spite of the opposition.

ASSIST News Service (ANS)
PO Box 609
Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net

Another anti-Christian hate crime perpetrated by Hindu extremists.

Monday, May 28, 2007

Pastor attacked in Karnataka, India

By James Varghese
Special to ASSIST News Service

KARNATAKA, INDIA (ANS) -- Anti-Christian activists from two Hindu radical groups -- Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bajrang Dal -- attacked a Pastor and an elder of a church in Bangarpet in Kolar district of Karnataka on May 21 2007 for distributing gifts at a VBS (Vacation Bible School).

The extremists stated that by giving these gifts to the children they were converting them to Christianity.

The Hindu activists attacked on the last day of the children program. They destroyed the gifts and beat up the Pastor who had traveled from Bangalore and elder of the church named Rajashekhar under the allegation that they were converting children through their programs.

Even though they were the victims, a complaint was filed against the pastor and the elder but they were later released.
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James Varghese is a reporter for a "V" TV news in Gokak, Karnataka state, India, and is freelance journalist working for ANS.


ASSIST News Service (ANS)
PO Box 609
Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net