emerged that Hindu militants launched two attacks on Catholics in the northern state of Rajasthan, in one case beating four people until they were unconscious.
The troubles began Saturday, December 24, when nine members of the Hindu extremist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) riding motorbikes attacked four Catholics, including a priest in Jambuda, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the district capital of Banswara, Christian news agency Compass Direct said.
Jaisingh Baria, Sunil Minama, and two people identified only as Priest Thomas and Santosh were reportedly traveling by jeep to attend a Christmas mass in a nearby village when the attack took place.
The attackers had apparently parked their motorbikes just after a curve in the road in Tandi Moti village, waiting for the four to arrive, a parish priest was quoted as saying. After forcing the jeep to stop, the attackers hit Priest Thomas with an iron rod.
"Then they pulled the other three off the jeep and beat them," said the priest, who identified himself only as Father Alexander. "They also made them strip down to their underwear."
VICTIMS UNCONSCIOUS
The victims lay reportedly unconscious on the road for four hours until a local Christian discovered them. More details about their current medical condition were not immediately available.
Militants apparently broke Priest Thomas’ mobile phone and stole his wallet containing 5,000 rupees ($115), along with a small television and VCD player that were in the jeep.
The incident happened after RSS members spread a rumor that the Catholics were carrying two children with them in the jeep in order to sacrifice them as part of their Christmas worship, Compass Direct reported. As the rumor spread, people living in nearby villages allegedly came out to join in the beating.
Priest Alexander suggested he was surprised the violence happened as he had previously asked for police protection for the four after villagers warned Priest Thomas not to attend the Christmas celebration that night. Police defended their action, and Inspector Prithvi Singh was quoted as saying he had asked Priest Thomas to stop by the police station on his way to the mass, but the priest had not done so.
NUNS ATTACKED
He told reporters he had filed charges against the attackers, arrested four of them, but admitted they were soon released on bail. In a separate motorbike incident on December 23, three men reportedly assaulted two nuns, Sister Tessia and Sister Kletty, who were waiting at a bus stop in Ambapara sub-district of Rajasthan state.
"The men came on a motorbike and slapped and verbally abused them,” a priest from the Udaipur diocese told Compass Direct. “They also snatched the crosses they were wearing around their necks."
One of the attackers was identified as Motilal Patel, already named in several violent attacks on Christians, including an incident on October 21 when he used a sharp weapon to attack three Catholic youths waiting at a bus stand in Banswara, Compass Direct said. He was arrested the next day, but released immediately on bail.
MARY STATUE STOLEN
He is also wanted for his alleged involvement in stealing a statue of the Virgin Mary from St. Andrew’s Church in Ambapara on December 22. Police Inspector Devi Singh was quoted as saying that his forces were searching for Patel, but admitted the militant had gone into hiding.
The incidents against the Catholics were the latest in violence against Christians in India during 2005, BosNewsLife established. A growing number of Indian states also adopt anti conversion laws, which makes it difficult for people to convert to Christianity or preach the Gospel, human rights groups say.
Christians comprise roughly 2.3 percent of India’s population of nearly 1.1 billion, according to the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). (With BosNewsLife Research and BosNewsLife New Delhi Bureau).
