4/5/19 India (International Christian Concern)- Following the suicide of a young teenage girl, a mob of Hindu radicals descended on a Christian secondary school in Tamil Nadu, India in late March 2019. Nearly 200 members of a radical paramilitary group arrived in trucks and attacked the schools. The mob was incited by the 15-year-old student who committed suicide not far from the school, disappointed by her academic performance. The nuns were strangled, threatened, insulted and beaten while school property was destroyed. Damage to the chapel, auditorium and classrooms is estimated to be around $145,000 USD.

According to Archbishop Pappusamy of the Tamil Nadu Bishop Council, the police did not come to the aid of the staff at the time of the incident. The council publicly condemned the incident and called for an investigation to take action against the guilty. The Catholic school, Little Flower High Secondary School, was founded 74 years ago for the purpose of providing an education to children from poor families. The archbishop is recorded as saying, “the sole purpose of these Christian Minority Institutions is always to work for the welfare of people. These are run by priests and religious who serve the society selflessly”.

The council also called for the Indian government to take steps to protect Christian minority institutions, especially during election time.

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