Hindu Radicals Assault Evangelist,

Threaten Indian Christians

Washington , D.C. (February 8, 2010)–International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on January 24, Hindu radicals in Karnataka , India attacked a church meeting and assaulted the evangelist conducting the service.

Evangelist H. Raju was conducting a church service at Indian Evangelical Mission when members of Rashtriya Swayamsavak Sangh (RSS, a Hindu extremist group connected with BJP, India ’s main opposition political party) forcefully entered the church shouting “Jai Shri Ram!” (Praise Lord Ram).

The extremists snatched Bibles, prayer books and song books from the Christians and set them on fire. Then they assaulted Raju and accused him of forcefully converting Hindus to Christianity. They further harassed him by dragging him out of the church, coercing him to kneel and pray on the street and then took his photograph.

The extremists also forced Raju to locate homes of Christians living in Bharamasagar village, where the attack took place. They then barged into three Christian homes and warned them to stop worshipping Jesus or else face further attacks. The extremists also attempted to put a tilak (Hindu symbol) on Raju’s forehead but he managed to resist.

Christian leaders lodged a police complaint against the perpetrators, and police arrested three suspects on January 28.

ICC’s Regional Manager for Africa and South Asia, Jonathan Racho, said “We commend the Indian police for arresting suspects in the attacks against the Indian Evangelical Mission Church and Evangelist Raju. We urge officials to investigate the crimes and punish all the perpetrators of the attack.”

Please pray for protection and encouragement for Evangelist Raju and Indian Christians who are continually persecuted by Hindu radicals.

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