An attack on a prayer meeting in Jharkhand state that sent six people to the hospital on 4 September began when Hindu women entered the home where it was held and began insulting Christians.
By the end of the day, Hindu extremists with guns, axes, spades and clubs had broken the bones of Christians and beaten women unconscious, before threatening to finish them off if they continued worshipping Christ, a local pastor said.
About 30 people from the church had gathered at a house for a prayer meeting when some women entered and began verbally abusing the pastor and others. Shouting insults, the Hindu extremists took the pastor’s motorbike key, damaged the vehicle and dragged out the associate pastor.
Hiding the pastor
Later, some 15 extremists armed with weapons broke into the prayer meeting, but by then members had hidden the pastor on the roof. When they wanted to know his whereabouts, the Christians said he had gone to the police station and then the beatings began.
As the village head backs the Hindu extremist actions, it has been difficult to hold worship meetings, and the Christians have been forbidden from walking on the main road and getting water from the main pump.
