KANAKAGIRI, India — Acting on false complaints by Hindu nationalists, police arrested Christians in Kanakagiri village, Koppal district Jan. 25.
The Global Council of Indian Christians reported that around 6:30 p.m. more than a dozen Christians had met for worship led by pastors John Harris and Ravi Kumar of the Evangelical Church of India when a mob of nearly 20 extremists from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh stormed into the service, led by an area extremist identified only as Purushotham.
After chasing the Christians out, they hit Harris and Kumar. The extremists telephoned the police, who took the two pastors into custody. Kanakagiri police officials said the pastors have been charged with “deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting religion or religious beliefs.”
At press time, the pastors were still in custody at Ganagavati sub-jail.
Share with others: