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India

• Violent Attack During Worship Service

  

  A frenzied mob of more than 200 people burst into a worship service on Sunday, October 3rd, and began beating Christians, vandalizing the building, and looting items belonging to the church. The violent incident happened in Roorkee, a city located in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand.

• Pastors Charged Due to Anti-Conversion Laws

  

  Seven pastors were arrested on October 10th in the Mau district of Uttar Pradesh, India. They were accused of violating the state's anti-conversion legislation, and subsequently charged with "illegal assembly."

• Christian Teenager Dies After Acid Attack

  

  On August 11th, Nitish Kumar – a Christian teenager from northern India's Bihar state – was attacked with acid, leaving much of his body with severe burns. For more on the incident, view this report.

• Christians Beaten After Mob Storms Police Station

  

  Acting on accusations from Hindu nationalists, police raided a gathering of the New Life Fellowship Ministry in Raipur, the capital of India's Chhattisgarh state, on September 5th. The complainants had accompanied the police and attempted to enter the church but were prevented from doing so. The officers then requested that Pastor Harish Sahu report to the local police station.

• Large Mob Attacked Church in Chhattisgarh

  

  Around 60 Christians were gathered for worship on the morning of Sunday, August 29th, when a mob of over 100 people barged into the facility and began shouting Hindu slogans. The perpetrators proceeded to physically assault all of the attending church members, destroy their musical instruments, and tear apart a Bible before trampling it underfoot. The invading militants then placed Hindu idols in the building and began worshipping them.

• Christian Teen Severely Injured in Acid Attack

  

  Nitish Kumar, 16, a resident of northern India's Bihar state, was attacked with acid in late August, leaving him with burns covering 60 percent of his body. According to the victim's sister, Raja Davabi, the incident happened at 6:30 a.m. as he left the house to go to the market.

• Brutal Attack for Not Denying Christ

  

  On August 15th, the chief of Adnadhi, a village in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, led a mob of around 250 people against several Christians who refused to give up their faith in Christ. According to witness statements, the chief summoned the Christians to a place where the mob had assembled. When eleven of the believers arrived, they were given two options: abandon their faith or leave the village. When they refused, stones were thrown at them. Four of the attacked victims required hospitalization due to internal injuries.

• Pastor Killed for Sharing Faith

  

  In the village of Sangoi, which is located in northern India, Pastor Vinod Kumar had been sharing his faith for over two months with a man who was recently released from prison on bail. The Hindu man, Sonu Kashyap, had even been to the pastor's home for prayer. However, Sonu had rejected any call to faith in Christ.

• Christians in Three Villages Forced to Flee

  

  Tribal animists have forced more than 50 Christians to flee their homes and seek shelter in the jungles of Odisha. These believers represent several families that are now stranded without proper shelter, food and water.

  The conflict began within the past two months in the village of Sikapai where opposing villagers destroyed the roofs of homes belonging to as many as eight Christian families. Not only had the belongings of the targeted Christians been looted, these victims were also subjected to physical beatings and consequently driven into the jungle. When five Christian families in the nearby village of Kotlanga received similar threats, they remembered what had happened in Sikapai and likewise fled their homes, joining the other displaced families in the jungle.

• Christian Shot by Hindu Nationalists

  

  A 52-year-old believer was shot dead during an attack on a Christian family by militant Hindu nationalists in India's Rajasthan state on May 18th. According to local sources, three other members of the family were seriously injured after being beaten with a gun, swords and sickles.