SUNDARGARH, India — A Christian pastor was taking his 18-month-old baby to the hospital for emergency treatment in the state of Odisha, India, when hundreds of Hindu extremists dragged him from his car and later doused him with gasoline in an attempt to burn him alive.
Pastor John Lakra, his wife and their three children were driving to the hospital on Oct. 23 when they were stopped. He was beaten and then taken to another site. Lakra said his kidnappers shouted that he should be given as a live sacrifice, but within moments of them pouring gas on him, a power outage occurred and police rescued him. They also arrested him and he spent 10 days in jail on charges of sending a text message critical of a Hindu goddess. Lakra denied sending the message.
India ranked 11th on Christian support organization Open Doors’ 2018 World Watch List of countries where Christians experience the most persecution. (MS)
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