Pastors Beaten Up, Jailed at 3am near Bangalore
Global Council of Indian Christians
4/23/07 India (Persecution Update India) Pastors Jayaseelan and Daniel were conducting prayers at a believer’s home in Rajanukunte village, about 10 kms from Bangalore , at about 8pm on April 22nd. Suddenly about 20-25 persons from the Sangh Parivar [Hindu extremist] group surrounded the home, where over 20 believers were present for the meeting.
They closed the doors and brought the meeting to a hurried close even as the mob started yelling and abusing the pastors. The pastors informed the Rajanukunte police station, and some police constables arrived and took the pastors to the police station, saying they could discuss the matter there. As they were on the way, the mob again appeared and started beating and abusing the pastors and four other believers who had accompanied them. At the station, they were put into the police lock up and harassed verbally. The mob accused them of inciting the people to stop doing poojas [Hindu ritual] and forcing them to convert. All attempts by family members of the pastors’ family to contact the police inspector failed that night. At 3am, they were produced before a magistrate who promptly had them sent to the Central prison.
It was not known, at the time of writing, under what sections they have been charged. Well-wishers are organizing bail to get the believers out of prison. Pray for the early and safe release of the pastors and church members. The phone number of the Rajanukunte police station is 080-28468936, Inspector Prasanna Kumar.
It is very clear the communalization of the administration has become almost complete, and law-abiding and God-fearing citizens are forced to suffer at the hands of “Swadeshi” terrorists for their faith. The Hindutva radicals are out to demonize Christians to divert attention from the moral and ethical bankruptcy of the Indian society, dominated by the members of the majority religion, which is mainly responsible for the intense poverty, caste and gender discrimination in the Indian society. The World Hindu council, the Hindu students council based in the USA and many of the New age movements are supporting the hate crimes against Christians in India .
