Fwd: EFI NEWS, Persecution Watch, June 26, 2012
Finney Philip
Regards,
Finney
From: Evangelical Fellowship of India <ma...@efionline.org>
Date: Tue, Jun 26, 2012 at 4:53 PM
Subject: EFI NEWS, Persecution Watch, June 26, 2012
To: finn...@gmail.com
Three Christians Arrested in Karnataka
Pastor Accused of Forceful Conversion in Karnataka
Christians Attacked, Burial Denied in Chhattisgarh
June 26, 2012:
We request for the prayers that the church would continue to serve the nation inspite of innumerable suffering and pray also for those who
are persecuting that they may experience the love of Christ.
Three Christians Arrested in Karnataka
Karnataka police arrested three Christians on charges of “Abetment of a thing” in Hubli, after Hindu extremists verbally abused and snatched the tracts from them on June 21.
According to information reaching EFI NEWS, at about 2:30 p.m. Pastor Manjunath and Evangelists Smt. Stella and Smt Bhavani from the Indian Church of Christ were distributing gospel tracts when
the Hindu extremists’ activists came and started tackling them and verbally abused them.
They also snatched all the handbills from them and sent for the police who came and took them to the Durgadabail police station. After questioning, the police arrested the Christians under
Section 107 of the Indian Penal code for "Abetment of a thing".
After area Christian leaders’ intervention, they were released later that evening.
Pastor Accused of Forceful Conversion in Karnataka
Karnataka police accused a pastor of forceful conversion after receiving alleged complaints against them of forceful conversion activities in Muddebehal, Bijapur on June 18.
According to information reaching EFI, a police man identified only as Pawar visited the church Pastor Manjappa Byadayi from Salvation Gospel Church and began leveling allegations against them
that they were involved in conversion work stating that "there have been many complaints against them" and ordered the Christians to report to the police station with all information about
their activities.
Subsequently, Pastor Byadayi and his wife reported to the police station. An inquiry was conducted and they were alleged that they are actively involved in forcible conversion of Hindus to
Christianity and that they must stop it immediately.
The Christians were also ordered to close down their church and to immediately clear out of the place, failing which they should report to the police station everyday about all their
activities.
Kindly pray for God’s intervention.
Christians Attacked, Burial Denied in Chhattisgarh
In Kurud, Dhamtri, Chhattisgarh, Police registered a case against a Christian after about 50 Hindu extremists led by Samaruram Sinha attacked the Christians and disrupted a worship meeting on
May 13.
According to our correspondent, Advocate Sonsingh Jhali, the extremists barged into the Sunday worship meeting conducted by Pastor Varghese Chako in the house of the a local Christian Edwin
Paul, verbally abused the Christians and beat them up.
The extremists also completely damaged the Tata Indigo car of Edwin Paul. Area Christian leaders submitted a complaint to Superintendent Police of Dhamtari on May 14.
However an FIR was registered against Edwin Paul and his son Rakesh Paul and against the assailant Somaruram Sinha and few others, under IPC Sections 107) for "Abetment of a thing" and Section
116. Abetment of offence punishable with imprisonment-if offence be not committed.
In a similar incident in Beltokri, Gariyaband, Chhattisgarh, about 20 Hindu extremists disrupted the Sunday worship service of an independent house church conducted by Pastor Ankush Bariyekar
in the house of Santosh Sahu on June 3.
Our correspondent Rev. Akhilesh Edgar reported that the extremists suddenly barged in verbally abused, threatened and beat
up the Christians. Pastor Bariyekar and Ram Sahu, a local believer were
injured.
No complaint was filed by the believers.
In yet another incident in Patinaikras, Sukma, Chhattisgarh, Hindu extremists beat up Christians after they refused the burial of a Christian on May 19.
According to our correspondent, Rev Akhilesh Edgar, about 50 extremists led by Pujari Deva attacked the Christians, verbally abused them and beat them up , shouting that they would not allow the
burial of a Christian in or near their village, demanding the exhumation of a Christian, late Dudhi Mandavi (45 yrs) who died of epilepsy. Mandavi was buried in the private land of Aita
Mandavi in Baseras after the village head refused to give permission of burial in Patinaikras village. Christians, Bhima Markam, Paike Mandavi and others sustained serious injuries.
A police complaint was filed at Sukma Police Station. Investigation is going on.
Kindly pray for peace in the state.
An Appeal to write to Authorities
As concerned people, kindly write to the Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh and
Karnataka appealing them to safeguard the rights of the minority communities and to
provide protection to churches against attacks and to take immediate action against the perpetrators of violence.
Shri D V Sadananda Gowda
Chief Minister of Karnataka
Email: c...@kar.nic.in
(O) Tel: +91 080 22253414 ; 22253424
(O) Fax: +91 080 22253115
Dr. Raman Singh
Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh
Chief Minister Niwas, Raipur
Email: c...@cg.nic.in
(O) Tel: (0771) 4066000 ; 2221000 ; 2221001
(O) Fax: (0771) 2221306
(R) Tel: (0771) 2442744 ; 2331001 ; 2331004
Rev. Dr. Richard Howell,
General Secretary
Evangelical Fellowship of India
New Delhi, India
Evangelical Fellowship of India (established 1951) is a charter member of World Evangelical Alliance, an accredited NGO with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations