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Mission Complex Vandalized in Karnataka, India
Hindu extremists vandalized an indigenous church and ministry complex in Shivanapura district, Karnataka state, on Saturday night (July 15), rampaging through facilities and locking terrified residents in their dormitories. Compass Direct News reports that shortly before midnight, Hindu extremists entered the Shivanapura Marthoma Mission, stoning facilities and smashing nearly all window panes. Rev. Alexander Tharakan, 34, his wife, his 2-year-old daughter and his 70-year-old-mother awoke to the sounds of the destruction and the jeers of the extremists. Their door was latched from outside. Four buildings were damaged, the pastor said. “My little girl is still frightened,” he added, “especially at nights.”
Pastor in India Arrested During Sunday Worship
Police on Sunday (July 16) arrested Pastor Om Prakash Pandey while he was leading worship at his independent church in the village of Daksinwara, in the Sultanpur district of Uttar Pradesh state. The 27-year-old pastor was taken to the Kurebhar police station, where Police Inspector Jawahar Lal Saroj and others beat him mercilessly, according to sources who spoke under condition of anonymity. He was released on Monday (July 17) without any charges filed against him. Ram Gopal Varma, headman of Daksinwara village, told Compass Direct News that Hindus had objected to Pandey conducting Bible classes for children of tribal people in the remote, Hindu-majority village. The headman said that villagers roughed him up to serve as a stern warning to stop his “proselytizing” activities.
Christians Arrested for Visiting Hospital Patients in India
Vishal Arora
Three young men accused of ‘forced’ conversion – as are four Bible students the same day.
NEW DELHI, July 24 (Compass Direct News) – Three young Christians visiting hospital patients – and four Bible students in a separate incident – were attacked and accused of “forced conversions” last week in the southern state of Karnataka.
On July 17, at least 20 extremists of the Hindu Sena (part of the militant Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) and of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attacked three Christians identified only as Daniel, 17, Manju, 21, and Umesh, 27, of the Harvest Full Gospel Church, accusing them of converting patients at the Megan Government Hospital in Shimoga district.
“The extremists took the three Christians to the Doddapete police station, where they were arrested for visiting the hospital and distributing Christian literature among the patients,” Albert Lael, administrator of the All India Christian Council, told Compass.
They suffered minor internal injuries, though police reportedly prevented the extremists from harming the accused.
The Christians had been “praying for sick people and comforting them with the gospel message,” Lael said.
The Hindu extremists accused them of entering the hospital without permission and fraudulently converting patients. The New Indian Express, a regional daily, reported that hospital authorities maintained that “no one had taken permission from the hospital administration to distribute books or pamphlets.”
While not commenting on the charge of failing to get hospital permission, Umesh told the newspaper, “We did not have any intention to convert anybody. We were just informing people about Christianity through books, and we did not lure anyone for conversion.”
Lael said the Christians were released on bail on Saturday (July 22) and are to appear in court again next Monday (July 31).
“Immediately after their release,” he added, “the police came to the pastor of the church, Rev. Prashant Kumar, and interrogated him for more than three hours, asking him questions concerning ‘conversion activities.’”
Bible Students Beaten
On the same day, Hindu extremists in Baglkote, another district of Karnataka, beat four students, identified only as Jagannath, Simon, Santosh and Vijay, of the Gospel for Asia Bible College in Bijapur district.
The Bible students, who had worked in Baglkote for more than six months as part of their training, visited the houses around the area distributing copies of the Bible, Lael said. After returning to their quarters and having lunch, he said, they were resting at about 4 p.m. when members of the extremist Rama Sena barged into the house and beat them.
“Then they dragged them to the Galgali police station along with all the literature and other media material, all the while abusing and beating them with their hands,” he added. The four received minor injuries.
The extremists complained to the police that the four were converting Hindus by distributing Christian literature. Officers immediately arrested and jailed them.
Lael said when the local pastors approached police to request the release of the students, an officer told them: “It is good for them to be in jail. Otherwise Rama Sena activists may even kill them.”
Police released them on Wednesday (July 19) after local Dalit leaders intervened along with the pastors, he said.
According to the 2001 census figures, there are a little more than 1 million Christians in Karnataka, where the total population is over 52 million.
Copyright 2006 Compass Direct News
Hindu extremists vandalized an indigenous church and ministry complex in Shivanapura district, Karnataka state, on Saturday night (July 15), rampaging through facilities and locking terrified residents in their dormitories. Compass Direct News reports that shortly before midnight, Hindu extremists entered the Shivanapura Marthoma Mission, stoning facilities and smashing nearly all window panes. Rev. Alexander Tharakan, 34, his wife, his 2-year-old daughter and his 70-year-old-mother awoke to the sounds of the destruction and the jeers of the extremists. Their door was latched from outside. Four buildings were damaged, the pastor said. “My little girl is still frightened,” he added, “especially at nights.”
Pastor in India Arrested During Sunday Worship
Police on Sunday (July 16) arrested Pastor Om Prakash Pandey while he was leading worship at his independent church in the village of Daksinwara, in the Sultanpur district of Uttar Pradesh state. The 27-year-old pastor was taken to the Kurebhar police station, where Police Inspector Jawahar Lal Saroj and others beat him mercilessly, according to sources who spoke under condition of anonymity. He was released on Monday (July 17) without any charges filed against him. Ram Gopal Varma, headman of Daksinwara village, told Compass Direct News that Hindus had objected to Pandey conducting Bible classes for children of tribal people in the remote, Hindu-majority village. The headman said that villagers roughed him up to serve as a stern warning to stop his “proselytizing” activities.
Christians Arrested for Visiting Hospital Patients in India
Vishal Arora
Three young men accused of ‘forced’ conversion – as are four Bible students the same day.
NEW DELHI, July 24 (Compass Direct News) – Three young Christians visiting hospital patients – and four Bible students in a separate incident – were attacked and accused of “forced conversions” last week in the southern state of Karnataka.
On July 17, at least 20 extremists of the Hindu Sena (part of the militant Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) and of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attacked three Christians identified only as Daniel, 17, Manju, 21, and Umesh, 27, of the Harvest Full Gospel Church, accusing them of converting patients at the Megan Government Hospital in Shimoga district.
“The extremists took the three Christians to the Doddapete police station, where they were arrested for visiting the hospital and distributing Christian literature among the patients,” Albert Lael, administrator of the All India Christian Council, told Compass.
They suffered minor internal injuries, though police reportedly prevented the extremists from harming the accused.
The Christians had been “praying for sick people and comforting them with the gospel message,” Lael said.
The Hindu extremists accused them of entering the hospital without permission and fraudulently converting patients. The New Indian Express, a regional daily, reported that hospital authorities maintained that “no one had taken permission from the hospital administration to distribute books or pamphlets.”
While not commenting on the charge of failing to get hospital permission, Umesh told the newspaper, “We did not have any intention to convert anybody. We were just informing people about Christianity through books, and we did not lure anyone for conversion.”
Lael said the Christians were released on bail on Saturday (July 22) and are to appear in court again next Monday (July 31).
“Immediately after their release,” he added, “the police came to the pastor of the church, Rev. Prashant Kumar, and interrogated him for more than three hours, asking him questions concerning ‘conversion activities.’”
Bible Students Beaten
On the same day, Hindu extremists in Baglkote, another district of Karnataka, beat four students, identified only as Jagannath, Simon, Santosh and Vijay, of the Gospel for Asia Bible College in Bijapur district.
The Bible students, who had worked in Baglkote for more than six months as part of their training, visited the houses around the area distributing copies of the Bible, Lael said. After returning to their quarters and having lunch, he said, they were resting at about 4 p.m. when members of the extremist Rama Sena barged into the house and beat them.
“Then they dragged them to the Galgali police station along with all the literature and other media material, all the while abusing and beating them with their hands,” he added. The four received minor injuries.
The extremists complained to the police that the four were converting Hindus by distributing Christian literature. Officers immediately arrested and jailed them.
Lael said when the local pastors approached police to request the release of the students, an officer told them: “It is good for them to be in jail. Otherwise Rama Sena activists may even kill them.”
Police released them on Wednesday (July 19) after local Dalit leaders intervened along with the pastors, he said.
According to the 2001 census figures, there are a little more than 1 million Christians in Karnataka, where the total population is over 52 million.
Copyright 2006 Compass Direct News
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