BHOPAL, India — Hindu extremists severely beat two pastors Sept. 24 in India’s Madhya Pradesh state before dragging them to a police station and accusing them of “forcing” conversions. Two days earlier, extremists had attacked and injured two evangelists in the same state, later accusing them of “hurting Hindu sentiments.”
More than 20 members of two extremist groups also barged into a church in Nana Badvani area in Badvani district Sept. 24 and attacked two pastors, identified only as Sukhlal and Jorsingh. The pastors, who were warned to abandon Christianity or forfeit their lives, were held in police custody until a member of the state’s minorities commission intervened. In a separate incident two days earlier, two evangelists in Betul district were beaten and then placed in police custody. The two men remain under arrest, reportedly fearful that in the tense situation, they could be attacked again if released on bail. At least 18 Christians have been accused of attempted forced conversions or hurting Hindu religious sentiments in Madhya Pradesh since the state strengthened its anti-conversion laws July 25.
Share with others: