Attack on Priest and Nun, Services Disrupted, Christians Beaten - VOM Sources

JHARKHAND - On May 14, Reverend George Minj and Sister Teresa Kindo, were attacked in a village near Ranchi as they returned to their parish in the evening after leading prayers in a nearby village. The priest sustained a blood clot in the head and is being kept under observation. Pray for the priest's speedy recovery and for protection as they continue their ministry in the area.
KARNATAKA - On May 13, more than 20 Hindu extremists attacked a worship service in the town of Kushalnagar. The extremists destroyed Bibles, and beat several believers. They told the pastors to stop converting people to Christianity. Pray for protection for Christians in India. Ask God to heal the believers that were beaten. Acts 4:29-30

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Missionary Threatened with Death - Gospel for Asia
Anti-Christian extremists in Utter Pradesh have threatened to kill Gospel for Asia missionary Daya Marandi, if he does not leave the area where he is ministering. The extremists have also made threats to harm more than 50 people who worship in Daya's church and are demanding believers in the church denounce Christianity. Pray for Pastor Daya, his family and believers in India who are facing escalating persecution. Pray God encourages them to stand steadfast in their faith despite the challenges they face. Romans 5:1-5, Psalm 91: 10-14

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Pastors Arrested – VOM Sources
In the city of Varanasi, Rajendra Chawhan, a pastor and evangelist, has been working to reach non-believers in an area outside Varanasi. He has been holding prayer meetings that have grown to more than a thousand believers and this has angered radical Hindu groups. The pastor has been arrested and beaten several times. Following a recent prayer and healing service, Pastor Chawhan was beaten by Hindu extremists and taken to the police, who arrested him. This was the sixth time he had been arrested. Some Christians went to jail to protest his arrest and were beaten by extremists, while the police turned a blind eye. Pray God encourages, protects and gives wisdom to this pastor, and for his ministry to expand in the midst of these tough times. Ephesians 3:14-19

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Two Christian Leaders Killed, VOM Coordinator Attacked – VOM Sources

UTTER PRADESH - On June 2, 2007, two Christian leaders were stabbed to death at a Christian school and orphanage in Etah District, Uttah Pradesh. According to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts, it is believed Samuel Masih and Aman Singh, leaders at the school, were brutally killed by anti-Christian Hindu extremists. "Aman Singh's body had more than 20 stab wounds, while Masih had been stabbed five times. Police are investigating. Robbery has been ruled out as a motive, and the family suspects that religion was a factor," the contacts said. Pray for the families of those killed. Pray believers in this area will be strengthened and encouraged despite the hardships they face.
BANGALORE – On June 8, 2007, a coordinator for The Voice of Martyrs was attacked at his home by Hindu extremists. According to VOM contacts, more than 150 extremists were bussed in from different areas and gathered at his house, which also serves as a house church. "Brother N hid in a room while other believers contacted the police. While the police arrived, the crowd grabbed him and beat him severely. He has cuts and bruises and was nearly unconscious when he was taken away to the police station and hospital." Pray for healing for Brother N's injuries and for believers in India who are experiencing an increase in persecution. Psalm 147:1-7, 1 Thessalonians 3:7-10

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

INDIA: Christians Beaten by Hindu Extremists – VOM Sources
On June 24, a Carmelite priest and four other Christian men were attacked by a group of Hindu militants in Kundapurna, Karnataka state. While the men were in the waiting room of a hospital with a neighbor, Islamic extremists started insulting then and accused them of forcibly converting Hindus. The attackers threw the priest down a flight of stairs and beat him. When the other men came to his aid, they were also beaten. The Christians were then taken to the police station where the militants filed a complaint of forcible conversion against them. All five Christians have been hospitalized for their injuries. Pray for healing for the injured believers. Ask God to encourage and protect Christians in India who face increased persecution. Psalm 103:1-5; Isaiah 53:4-5; 1 Peter 2:24
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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Pastor Charged Under New Anti-Christian Law in Andra Pradesh – VOM Sources
Pastor Devampu, was beaten by Hindu radicals in the presence of police in Kanipackam, Andra Pradesh. He was arrested and charged under Indian Penal Code 295, and the law GO 747, which bans non-Hindus from being in 12 temple towns in Andra Pradesh State. Pastor Devampu has been ministering in Kanipackam, which has one of the 12 temples, for the past two years. Pray Pastor Devampu will be released. Pray for protection for Christians in India. Ask God to touch the hearts of the persecutors and draw them into the knowledge of Him. Psalm 91, 1 Corinthians 15:58

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Christian Martyred in India's Assam State - VOM Sources
On June 28, Hemanta Das, a Christian convert from Hinduism to Christianity, was brutally beaten by suspected members of a religious fanatic group. Das, a former member of the Hindutva fanatic group known as Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, died four days later in a local hospital. The Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India has declared Brother Das the first Assamese martyr. Das was a member of the Guwahati Baptist Church. The Voice of the Martyrs' contacts in India report, "On several occasions, Brother Das was cautioned by radical groups of the dire consequences that would follow if he tried to convert people to Christianity." Christian leaders in Assam state say that this murder case has been reported to local police, but police have not yet found those responsible. Pray for the family of Brother Das and for the Holy Spirit to convict those responsible for this attack. Ask God to protect and encourage Christians in India. John 14:27, Colossians 3:15

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Christians Beaten by Police Inspector; Pastor Beheaded - VOM Sources

KARNATAKA - On July 15, while a group of Christians were gathered for worship in Thadesa, a police inspector assaulted two believers and took them to the police station. The police inspector continued to beat them for another three hours there. Pray for healing. Ask God to encourage believers in India and for their love to draw non-believers into the knowledge of Christ.
MANIPUR - On July 5, Pastor Pau Za Khen, a Burmese pastor of the Upper Myanmar Evangelical Lutheran Church, was beheaded by an unidentified group in the town of Churachanpur, Manipur. Pastor Khen was abducted from his daughter's home by four men on July 4. His decapitated body was found in a field outside of town the next morning. His hands were tied behind his back and he was blindfolded. Pray for Pastor Khen's family and ask God to touch the lives of the killers so they can find forgiveness in Christ like Saul did.
Acts 9:1-19, Romans 8:11

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Pastor Threatened; Pastor and Wife Assaulted, Imprisoned and Later Released – VOM Sources

KASHMIR – On July 29, five men from the Molvis Al-Hadis Mosque in Baramulla threatened Pastor Bashir Masih, and other believers preparing for Sunday worship. According to The Voice of the Martyrs' contacts in India, "The five men threatened the believers and instructed them to vacate the house, which is also used as a house church, within a month since it is located near a mosque." In the past, Muslim extremists have assaulted Pastor Masih's disabled son and Muslim village authorities have allowed extremists to block drinking water to Pastor Masih's home. Pastor Masih was a Muslim who converted to Christianity in 2005. His house church, Shalom Prayer House, was started in 2005. Pray for Pastor Masih's family and Christians in India who remain steadfast in their faith, despite persecution. Hebrews 13:5-6
KARTANAKA – August 10, Pastor Victor and his wife Glory were released after spending a month in prison. On July 9, the couple was assaulted by a Hindu extremist while they were distributing tracts in the Bijapur District, Karnataka. They were later arrested. According to The Voice of the Martyrs' contacts in India, a grocery store owner invited the pastor and his wife to his home and while they were talking, a man entered the home and attacked them. VOM contacts report, "When the man entered the home, he saw gospel tracts and began cursing at the pastor and slapped him. The grocery owner joined the assault and dragged the pastor out of the home and put him on a rickshaw and took him to the police. The Hindu extremist registered a complaint against the couple for inciting religious disharmony." The couple was arrested under section 296 A of the Indian Penal Code. Pray for Pastor Victor and his family and ask God to protect Christians in India. 2 Timothy 1:7

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Hindu Radicals Turn Church into Hindu Temple - VOM Sources
On August 19, members from the Hindu radical group, Hindu Ikyavedi, attacked a congregation gathered for prayer and vandalized their church building in Bangalore, India. According to The Voice of the Martyrs' contacts in India, prior to the attack, Pastor Koshy Thomas and his family were threatened and told to stop conducting worship services. VOM contacts report, "On August 18, two members of the Hindu radical organization, Hindu Ikyavedi, threatened to burn Pastor Thomas and his family to death if they did not vacate their home and stop worship services. The next day they barged into a prayer meeting, abused the believers using filthy language and assaulted the pastor's wife and another believer. They snatched a Bible from another man's hand and threw it out of the building." After the believers were evicted from the church, the attackers vandalized the building. VOM contacts added, "The radicals vandalized the church building by drawing Hindu symbols, the trishul, swastika, Sanskritic Om and slogans such as 'Jai Shri Ram and Hindu Dharma is ours, who is Yesu?' They also conducted a Hindu religious rite inside the church and locked it." Pastor Thomas has been pastoring the 50-member Indian Pentecostal Church for about a year. Pray God protects and provides for the pastor and believers in this area. Ask God to use the testimonies of Christians in India to draw non-believers into fellowship with Himself. Joshua 1:9; 2Timothy 1:7

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Pastor Miraculously Escapes Death - VOM Sources
On August 22, Pastor Mark Jaikumar was kidnapped by Hindu extremists while conducting a prayer meeting at an orphanage in Karnataka. According to The Voice of the Martyrs' contacts, "Pastor Mark, his wife and some believers from Bangalore visited an orphanage in Bangalore for their weekly prayer meeting. While they were praying, five Hindu extremists rushed into the orphanage and kidnapped the pastor after tying his mouth with a piece of cloth. They then stripped his clothes off and beat him severely. One of the attackers picked up a big stone to crush the pastor's head, but stopped when they saw a motorbike near them." As a result, the attackers ran away and left the pastor. Pastor Mark suffered internal injuries which have resulted in swelling. He has reported the attack to the police. Pray for Christians in India as they face difficult challenges because of their faith. Pray Pastor Mark is healed and that his attackers will be arrested. Zephaniah 3:17, Psalm 103:1-5

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Christian Leaders Attacked, Christians Openly Persecuted and Stabbed – VOM Sources

RAJASTHAN – On July 25, five men attacked Emmanuel Ministries. According to The Voice of The Martyrs contacts in India, the attackers had two handguns, a sword, a large stick and numerous stones. VOM contacts report, "They started fighting Mr. Jetha, one of the ministry office staff. They shouted that they would kill M.A and Samuel Thomas, the leaders of Emmanuel Ministries, and continuously beat Mr. Jetha. They threatened that they would 'kill and willingly go to prison for six years.' In a separate incident on July 31, members of Believers Assembly Church in Sri Ganga Nagar District, Rajasthan, were summoned by the police for questioning after Hindu fundamentalists complained believers were converting local villagers. VOM contacts report, "The new believers were threatened by police and pressured to leave Christianity and return to Hinduism. They were also warned that if they fail to return to Hinduism the provisions of the Anti-Conversion Act of Rajasthan, would be used to arrest them." Pray for protection for believers in Rajasthan. Ask God to encourage them and for the Holy Spirit to comfort and minister to injured believers. Pray the testimony of believers will draw Hindus into fellowship with Christ. Isaiah 26:3
KARNATAKA – On July 29, a mob of about 15 Bajrang Dal extremists armed with clubs, cricket bats and knives attacked Believers Church, in Shimoga District, mercilessly beating the pastor. According to VOM contacts, "the attackers barged into the church and abused the Christians, using filthy language and began hitting and stabbing them. They destroyed the pulpit, chairs, musical instruments, furniture, and window panes and damaged the church walls. The pastor was also severely beaten with a cricket bat and his body was swollen." Pray for the speedy recovery of those injured. Ask God to protect Christians in Karnataka. Romans 8:11, Psalm 107:20

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

BANGALORE: On September 8, Pastor Angam Haokip was attacked by more than 30 men in the village of Geddalahalli, Bangalore. According to The Voice of the Martyrs' contacts in India, the men forced Pastor Haokip to stop his vehicle. VOM contacts reported, "They asked him if he was a pastor and when he said 'yes,' they pulled him out of his car. The men accused him of 'ruining' the nation and beat him in front of several witnesses. They tried to crush his legs with boulders and also kicked him in the neck." The pastor sustained severe injuries to his back and chest and his car was destroyed. When he tried to file a complaint with local police, it was rejected because the police said a complaint had been registered against him for negligent driving.
HYDERABAD: On September 9, Pastor Sudhakar and four Christians visiting from Singapore were attacked by members of Hindu militant groups while leading a worship service at Bethel Gospel Church in Amberpet, Hyderabad. According to, a report from the All India Christian Council, approximately 300 believers were gathered when the militants forcibly entered the church building and began to shout obscenities against Christianity. The intruders assaulted Pastor Sudhakar with a rod. Prior to the attack, the militants had filed a complaint with local police alleging the pastor and the Singapore team were involved in forcible conversion.

Pray for healing for those injured in the attacks. Ask God to bless the ministry of these pastors and other Christians who are spreading the gospel in India. Pray God touches the lives of the persecutors and leads them to faith in Christ. Romans 8:11, Isaiah 40:31

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Hindu Extremists Plan Assaults in Karnataka – VOM Sources
On September 22, Christians in Bangalore, Karnataka's capital, protested the growing number of Hindu extremist attacks in the state and their planned assaults on church meetings in Mysore district. According to The Voice of the Martyrs' contacts in India, Hindu extremists belonging to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Bajrang Dal groups planned to launch a series of attacks against Christians in areas of Mysore district. Pray the plans of Satan will not succeed. Pray the Holy Spirit will touch the lives of the extremists and lead them into the knowledge of Christ. Psalm 27:1; 2 Timothy 1:7

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Pastor Attacked and Church Burned in North India - VOM Sources
On September 16, Pastor Virendra and his wife, Bhawana, were attacked by Hindu extremists while on their way to a church meeting. They remain steadfast in their faith and say they will continue holding church services despite the attack. According to The Voice of the Martyrs' contacts, "The attackers intercepted the pastor's motorcycle and threw him and his wife off and began to beat them with fists, sticks and rocks. One believer who was on his way to the meeting came along the road just as one of the persecutors raised a large rock over the pastor's head, intending to smash his skull." VOM contacts added, "The believer was able to push the rock backwards, saving the pastor from death. At another point someone was ready to smash [the pastor's] head with a large stick, but his wife intercepted it and he was again saved from death. Pastor Virendra and his wife were beaten for more than 20 minutes, before they finally escaped.

Praise God, Pastor Virendra and his wife were not severely wounded. Pray for God's protection for Christians in India, who continuously risk their lives for the sake of the gospel. Ask for the Holy Spirit to touch the lives of the persecutors and draw them into the knowledge of Christ. Philippians 4:8, Psalm 118:17

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.