September 11, 2009
EFI NEWS
Church Attacked in Bangalore
Suspected Hindu extremists on September 8 attacked St. Francis De Sales Church (SFS) resulting in property damages 200,000 rupees in Bangalore, Karnataka.
Our Correspondent, Rev Noel Kotain reported that around 2 p.m. Hindu extremists armed with weapons broke the window panes of SFS church, damaged the window panes, the grotto of Jesus and Mother Mary. The attacked went for about an hour and one house behind the church was also damaged in the process. The church filed a complaint in Hebbagodi Police Station.
Karnataka Home Minister V S Acharya described it as a “minor incident’ and said the case would be investigated, according to reports.
Karnataka is ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which came to power for the first time in the state in alliance with a regional party, the Janata Dal Secular, in February 2006. In May 2008, it won the state assembly elections and become the one party ruler of the state.
Christian worker jailed
Madhya Pradesh police arrested one Christian worker on the basis of the complaint lodged by the Hindu extremists allegedly from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on September 8..
Our correspondent, Rev Gurubatham Ponraj reported that the extremists accused Gopi Krishnan from Friends Missionaries Prayer Band (FMPB) of ‘preaching’ to forcefully convert people to Christianity.
At about 7 p.m., the extremists went to the Gopi Krishnan’s home and accused him of preaching to forcefully convert people to Christianity and alerted the police. The police reached the spot and took Krishnan to the police station and booked him under Sections 151 and 116 of the Indian Penal Code for joining in assembly of more than five people after commanded to disperse and abetment of offence punishable respectively.
The Christian was produced before the Sub- Divisional Magistrate on the next day and was sent to Barwani district jail.
On producing two witnesses that Krishnan will remain in the area and will turn up in the court whenever summoned, he was granted bail at 6:30 p.m. on September 10. The Christian worker will appear before the Divisional Magistrate again on September 16.
Local Christian leaders maintained that preaching to forcefully convert people does not take place in the area.
Please pray for the safety of Gopi Krishnan, for FMPB and for peace and justice.
Rev. Dr. Richard Howell
General Secretary
Evangelical Fellowship of India
New Delhi, India
Evangelical Fellowship of India (established 1951) is a charter member of World Evangelical Alliance, an accredited NGO with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
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