FLASH from COMPASS DIRECT NEWS
News from the Frontlines of Persecution
Karnataka – Acting on false complaints by Hindu nationalists, police on Jan. 25 arrested Christians in Kanakagiri village, Koppal district. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that at around 6:30 p.m., more than a dozen Christians had met for worship led by pastors John Harris and Ravi Kumar of the Evangelical Church of India when a mob of nearly 20 extremists from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh stormed into the service. Led by an area extremist identified only as Purushotham, they shouted profanities as they falsely accused the Christians of forced conversion, threw chairs and broke musical instruments, according to the GCIC. After chasing the Christians out, they hit Pastor Harris and Pastor Kumar with their fists. The extremists telephoned the police, who took the two pastors into custody. Kanakagiripolice officials told Compass that the pastors have been charged with “deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting religion or religious beliefs.” At press time, the pastors were still in custody at Ganagavati sub-jail. – BW
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