KOTA, Rajasthan, India — An already tense situation in the northwestern state of Rajasthan, India, exploded March 5 after Hindu extremists objected to a book on comparative religion, which they alleged denigrated their religion and deities, for sale on the campus of Emmanuel Mission International (EMI), based in Kota, Rajasthan. Police arrested Samuel Thomas, EMI president and son of EMI’s founder. In Noida, Uttar Pradesh state, several policemen in civil dress stopped the car in which Thomas’ party was traveling and forced him into their own vehicle. Previously police detained without charges EMI’s chief operating officer and the officer in charge of its Hope Center Orphanage in Raipura.
EMI’s orphanages, schools and a hospital have been targeted for closure by a wide array of Hindu extremists the past few months, including some who have offered a reward of $26,000 for the heads of both Thomas and his father.
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