Persecution in India

From Worthy News, March 13, 2012

BANGALORE, INDIA (Worthy News)– Suspected Hindu militants broke up a Christian prayer meeting and forced two women leading the gathering to stop evangelizing in India's southwestern state of Karnataka, as part of several attacks against devoted believers across the country, Christians told Worthy News.

Local Christians said as many as 20 Hindu "radicals" and "extremists" raided the March 3 prayer meeting in the Vijayanagar neighborhood of Bangalore, the state's capital.

The Hindu mob allegedly insulted worshipers and ordered the two women leading the service, Parimala, 36, and Padmavathi, 35, to stop the prayers immediately. In some parts of India people only use one name.

The two women are members of the Mahima Prarthana Mandira – an independent church in the Vijayanagar neighborhood, Christians said.

FORMER HINDUS

Both believers, who were Hindus before becoming Christians 12 years ago, also lead a 60-member congregation which often gathers for prayer services at a rented home. Additionally they have been distributing evangelical publications with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, local residents told Worthy News.

Angered about these activities, the Hindu militants reportedly filed a police complaint on charges of "forceful conversion" and pressured the two Christians to write down that they would halt prayer meetings and no longer conduct their other evangelism activities.

It was not immediately clear which Hindu group was behind the reported attack.

The two women were briefly held at the police station, said advocacy group Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), adding that its representatives had successfully intervened and that they were released.

Besides Karnataka, Christians have complained about attacks elsewhere, including in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu where police on February 21 reportedly detained Pastor John Chidambaran after Hindu militants beat him and his daughter, saying he was involved in "forceful conversions".
You can read the whole article here: India Militants Attack Prayer Meeting, Pastors