He had locked the handle of the motorbike when he parked it, preventing the radicals from moving it easily. However, they dragged it violently into the street and damaged the front portion of the vehicle.
“While I was being beaten by the radicals, none of the Kumelsinga villagers came to my rescue, but amazingly, God used the attackers themselves to save me,” Pastor Sagar said.
Since the motorbike handle was locked, the radicals demanded that Pastor Sagar give them the key. When he told them that it was inside Chandu’s house, the radicals asked him to fetch it.
Seizing this opportunity, Pastor Sagar limped his way toward Chandu’s house. However, instead of entering the home, he mustered his strength and jumped over the low compound wall under the cover of darkness and escaped into the nearby woods to hide.
Soon, the attackers realized that Pastor Sagar had fled and came hunting for him in the woods armed with torchlights.
Pastor Sagar lay flat, frozen in fear in the brush among the trees. He shared, “In that pitch darkness, as the silence of death seemed imminent upon me, the only ray of hope was God who gave me assurance and the mobile in my pocket.”
According to Pastor Sagar, God prevented the attackers from discovering his hiding place. After unsuccessfully trying to locate him with their torchlights, they eventually left.
“When my attackers left, I made a phone call to my church people and my brother back in Talpadartijra,” Pastor Sagar said.
Around 12:30 a.m., Pastor Sagar’s brother and a few other members of the pastor’s church arrived. “By the time rescue arrived, my throat was dry and I was feeling very thirsty due to the injuries. I was taken home and in the morning taken to Bulla government hospital, which is close to Sambalpur, one of the bigger cities of Odisha,” Pastor Sagar recalled.
Since the pain in Pastor Sagar’s left ribs did not subside, he visited another hospital. There, X-rays came back normal and a Christian doctor prescribed him with medicine to alleviate some of his pain.
“This is my 18 years of ministry and although there have been threats, this is the first time I got beaten up,” Pastor Sagar explained. “But, I will live and die for Christ. I have no fear. I will continue my ministry and I am ready to suffer.”
When asked about the future of his ministry in Kumelsinga village, where he was attacked, Pastor Sagar said that he is speaking with the local believers and will decide on the future course of action. Please keep Pastor Sagar, his ministry, and the many other pastors like him in prayer as they continue to advance the Gospel in the face of heavy opposition in India.
For interviews with William Stark, Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org