Pastor and lady believers held on false charges of 'forced conversion' in Karnataka state, India

By James Varghese
07/27/09 INDIA (ANS) -- A pastor along with two lady believers were held on the charges of forceful conversion at a place called Shimoga district in Karnataka state, India on Sunday, July 19.

According to news released by the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) on their website www.persecution.in, Pastor Chinnadurai (40) and two lady believers -- Glory (30) and Mrs. Baby Kutty (50) -- from the Pentecostal Mission were the ones that were held on the alleged charges.

The website story said that the troubles began when the pastor and elders were visiting a believer's house on Sunday evening (July 19th) and at around 7:00 pm, while they were talking and praying with the family, they were attacked by an individual who belongs to a Hindu radical group along with 15-20 others.

The site added that the Hindu radicals came to the believer's house and started threatening the pastor and the two ladies of the church who came along with the pastor.

The news sources also reported that while they were being harassed, someone contacted GCIC, an advocacy group that works for the protection of persecuted pastors and evangelists.

The website added that GCIC, in turn contacted the local police station apprising them of the situation and the protection was provided for the three persons who were attacked. After the police reached the spot, however, the pastor and the other two church believers were brought to the police station.

According to the website, while the officials were investigating the matter at the police station, they were pressurized by the local radical groups who demanded that the three be booked on charges of "forceful conversion" under the applicable sections of the law.

The pastor and the two ladies spent that night in jail and they were released on bail on July 20th, the next day, at 4.30 pm.

The news source said that meanwhile the believer's family, where these three had come for prayer in the village, also lodged a complaint against the radicals.

According to the news source, no arrests have been made yet.