04/03/2019 India (International Christian Concern) – According to Morning Star News, a Christian fellowship in Chapar village, located in India’s Uttar Pradesh state, was assaulted by a mob of Hindu radicals on February 7. After the brutal attack, the radicals kept the injured Christians from seeking medical attention and threatened to kill them if they reported the incident to police.

Ranjeet Kumar Gautam, a Christian from Chapar, invited 39 other adults over to his home on February 7 to participate in a Christian fellowship meeting. At approximately 2 p.m., a mob of 20 radicals belonging to the Bajrang Dal group broke into the house and began beating the Christians with wooden sticks.

“They seized each worshipper, men and women, and beat us with wooden sticks, with their legs and fists,” Gautam told Morning Star News. “They spared nobody except children.”

In addition to beating the Christians, the radicals forced them to lick their feet, praise Hindu gods and destroyed musical instruments, furniture, and Bibles. According to Pastor Om Prakash, the radicals destroyed a total of 45 Bibles.

Speaking to Morning Star News, Pastor Prakash said, “They snatched our bags, cell phones, and collected all the Bibles, about 45 in number, and tore them apart.”

After the assault, the radicals kept the Christians from seeking medical attention and reporting the incident to police. “The assailants chased us away from the hospital,” Pastor Prakash told Morning Star News. “We somehow reached the local police station to report the matter and a group of [radicals] were standing outside the police station. They threatened to kill us if we filed a complaint.”

So far, local police have done little to bring the radicals to justice. According to Morning Star News, the police have yet to register an official complaint despite several visits being made by local Christians to report and follow up on the attack.

For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: [email protected].