A Hindu mob’s protest that disrupted a church service resulted in the arrest of six Christian pastors, five of whom were beaten in jail.
The six pastors — Abhinav Baksh, Moses Logan, K. Thomas Gunta, Komal Kothari, Om Prakash Sahu and Satya Kumar — were arrested July 20 at a church in Bhilai in India’s Chhattisgarh state. Morning Star News reports that, on July 21, the jailer and guards at Durg jail used wooden batons to beat five of the pastors but not Logan.
Family members and Christian leaders were able to get bail together for the six later that day.
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Members of the Hindu group Bajrang Dal disrupted the church service July 20 by shouting obscenities and singing to a Hindu god. The mob claimed that the church congregants and their leaders were forcibly converting people to Christianity. Mob members demanded that action be taken against the Christians, Morning Star says.
Police arrested the pastors but not the disrupters.
On July 22, hundreds of Christians gathered at the police station to demand the arrest of the Hindu mob, the news outlet states. No charges have been filed against the extremists or jail officials.
World Watch
India is No. 11 on Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List of the 50 places most difficult to be a Christian.
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