TAMIL NADU, India — State police on Feb. 21 arrested a Christian after Hindu extremists from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) accused him of forceful conversion and beat him in Thuvakudi, Trichy district. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that the Hindu extremists made the accusation against Sahayam Chidambaran after arguing with his brother, pastor John Chidambaran. The pastor’s neighbor had demanded part of his church land, and after a quarrel had broken a water pipeline.
When the pastor filed a police complaint, the neighbor brought about 10 extremists from the RSS to attack the pastor and falsely accuse him of fraudulent and forced conversion. They also beat his daughter, Mercy, who had to be rushed to the hospital for treatment, reported the GCIC. Police assured the pastor that they would amicably settle the matter and also took a statement from him, but the neighbor along with an RSS leader identified only as Mahendra subsequently attacked the pastor’s brother and raised the same false accusation to get him arrested and jailed.
Sajan K. George, president of the GCIC, told Compass today that the Christian remained in jail at press time and that he and his team was working for his release. “We are expecting that he will be out from the prison in two days time,” he said Feb. 28.
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