Hindus drag woman to temple to ‘reconvert’ her

NIRAYANPALYA, India — Incidents of violence against Christians in India’s Karnataka state have spiked since June, including hospitalization of a school helper in early October after Hindu extremists beat her and marched her through the streets.

Hindu extremists kicked and punched the 50-year-old Christian woman, who goes by the single name of Sannamma, after intercepting her in Chamrajnagar District on Sept. 13. A resident of Kolipalya, Sannamma was in Nirayanpalya village to invite students back to school when a mob of about 40 Hindu nationalists stopped her and demanded she give money for a Hindu festival, a Christian leader said.

“Sannamma agreed to give them the money later, as she did not have any money with her at that time,” area pastor Vincent Dass said.

Nevertheless the Hindu extremists began beating her, calling her “pagan” and accused her of forceful conversion. As they abused Sannamma with foul language, the mob punched, kicked and shoved her around before dragging her to a Hindu temple. There they tried to forcefully convert her back to Hinduism by pouring water on her as a symbol of religious cleansing from Christianity.

After the six-hour attack, she was rushed to the hospital, where she was treated for internal injuries and multiple contusions. “What I am suffering is nothing compared to what my Lord Jesus has suffered,” said Sannamma, who became a Christian eight years ago. “I will love him forever for giving me a new life.”