07/06/2021 India (International Christian Concern) – According to Morning Star News, a pastor in India’s Haryana state was murdered last week by a man sources say killed him for his faith. Currently, the suspected murderer remains in police custody.
On Wednesday, June 30, Pastor Vinod Kumar was murdered by Sonu Kashyap, a Hindu, in Sangoi village, located in the Karnal District. Morning Star News reports that Kashyap ambushed Pastor Kumar at about 8 p.m. and beat him to death with a wooden roof truss.
After leading online worship, Pastor Kumar received a call from Kashyap’s brother to visit a sick villager. As Pastor Kumar was leaving this villager’s home, Kashyap attacked Pastor Kumar and hit him on the head multiple times with the roof truss.
“He attacked Vinod unaware from behind,” Sunita Kumar, Pastor Kumar’s wife, told Morning Star News. “He hit him hard on his head three times even after he fell from the motorbike.”
Local villagers captured Kashyap and beat him until police arrived on the scene. Kashyap was taken into custody and Pastor Kumar was taken to a nearby hospital. At the hospital, doctors declared him dead on arrival.
“Kashyap had visited our home to get himself prayed for,” Sunita told Morning Star News. “I do not know what came upon him that he took such a drastic step of killing Vinod so brutally.”
Station Head Officer Baljeet Singh told Morning Star News that the motive for the killing “was some trivial animosity, and further interrogation is underway.” However, local Christian leaders claim Pastor Kumar was killed because of his faith.
Police have registered a First Information Report against Kashyap, and he has been remanded to police custody for the next two weeks. Pastor Kumar is survived by his wife and an 11-year-old daughter.
For interviews, please contact Addison Parker: press@persecution.org.
