Mob raids church, beats Christian, two pastors

BALUPETTE, India — About 20 Hindu extremists in Karnataka state’s Hassan district stormed a worship service Nov. 25, dragged out two pastors and another believer, stripped them and beat them after tying them to a pole. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that pastors C.J. Joemon and C.J. Jojo and another believer, G. Anil, were attacked while they and about 15 others worshipped at Christ Vision Church, a house church associated with the Indian Pentecostal Church, in Balupette village in the Shakleshpur area. After burning the believers’ Bibles, the Hindu extremists stripped Joemon, Jojo and Anil and dragged them to the village junction, said Sajan K. George of the GCIC. Police arrived and took the three victims to the police station.
“Instead of protecting the Christians, the police charged the pastors with ‘forced conversion,’” George said, adding that officials also refused to give medical aid to the Christians until the GCIC intervened.