Recent Incidents of Persecution in India

The following news is from our friends at Compass Direct and written by Nirmala Carvalho and Vishal Arora of Compass Direct.

Maharashtra, March 6 (Compass Direct News) – A mob of Hindu extremists from the Bajrang Dal on March 3 beat two Christians who were distributing tracts at the Kandivli railway station in suburban Mumbai, in Maharashtra state. Pastor Nigel Pereira of Harvest of Grace Church told Compass that Bobby D’Souza, 24, and Sandip Mohite, 21, were distributing Christian literature when a group of 55 to 60 people snatched the leaflets from their hands and began hitting and kicking them. The extremists dragged the two Christians to the Kandivli police station, beating them en route, and filed a complaint against them alleging forcible conversion and denigration of other religions. D’Souza and Mohite were later taken to Bhagwati Hospital for treatment. Abraham Mathai, vice-chairman of the state Minority Commission, told Compass that Pastor Pereira planned to file a complaint against the Bajrang Dal after receiving a medical report. – NC

Madhya Pradesh – About 15 Hindu extremists on March 2 attacked a Christian meeting in the Patakhera area of Madhya Pradesh state’s Betul district, vandalizing and looting the facility. The Christian Legal Association (CLA) reported that the extremists stormed the meeting of the independent church led by the Rev. Avinash Kanchan and started beating the believers, 25 women and five men. They slapped Pastor Kanchan, beat him with shoes and manhandled some others, though no one received serious injury. The attackers threatened the Christians, damaged a motorcycle belonging to Pastor Kanchan and took away his mobile phone, watch and Bible. Kanchan reported the incident to the Patakhera police, but when a CLA representative spoke to the police, an officer claimed no one had filed a complaint. – VA