Source: www.persecution.org
Date: December 28, 2019
India (International Christian Concern) – On December 1, a mob of ax-wielding tribal extremists attacked a church community in eastern India and threatened to chop the Christians to pieces according to Morning Star News. The attack came only five days after the same extremists raided the homes of Christians living in Perigaon village, located in India’s Odisha state, and burned their Bibles.
“After we concluded the prayers and community lunch service, a batch of around 15 tribal men came with axes,” Pastor Bibudhan Pradhan told Morning Star News. “[They] surrounded the church and threatened that they would chop us into pieces.”
According to Morning Star News, the extremists captured the pastor and his wife and held them hostage for hours. “They abused us with vulgar language,” Pastor Pradhan told Morning Star News. “[They] threatened us that their gods and goddesses will swallow us alive for propagating Christianity in an Adivasi hamlet.”
Eventually the Christian couple was released, but their simple mud and bamboo church was burned to the ground.
Attacks on Christians and their places of worship continue to escalate in both number and severity across India. Much of this rise in persecution is tied to the promotion of Hindu nationalist policies by the current BJP-led government. Due to these policies, religious intolerance in India is becoming more of the norm.
HOW TO PRAY: Pray for protection for this Christian community. Pray for the attackers to be held accountable for their actions. Pray for the tribal extremists to come to know Christ.