Christians, the latest in a series of violent incidents to stop the spread of Christianity, an official said Friday, October 6.
"A Christian youth, Ranjan Dangua of Gokulpur village Orissa’s Bhadrak district," was kidnapped Wednesday, October 4, said Sajan K. George, the national president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), an advocacy group representing churches and mission groups.
George said the young man was also "severely beaten, forcibly tonsured and paraded around the village half naked." He said the Hindu militants had "stormed" his home. It was not immediately clear Friday, October 6, where the Christian was held and what demands the militants have.
George said the man as well as his and other families became Christians in recent years. “Just after they accepted Christianity, few radicals from a neighboring village have been persecuting them in many ways so far," he added. "At last this poor young man” became a victim and now is held "at a secret place," claimed George, which has close contacts with reportedly persecuted Indian Christians.
INCREASED PERSECUTION
The latest attack comes amid reports that Christian and Muslim minority communities face increased persecution.
The Indian People’s Tribunal on Communalism released a report, which shows that the Hindu umbrella group Sangh Parivar, linked to the Hindu extremist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, (RSS) is active in 25 of the 30 districts of Orissa with “several million” members.
Across India, persecution of Christians, including many former Hindus, is on the rise, rights watchers say. Each year from 2001 to 2005, about 200 anti-Christian attacks were reported in India.
This year nearly 150 such incidents were reported by mid-September, with the annual total expected to exceed 200, said Compass Direct, a Christian news agency. (With BosNewsLife Research and reports from India).
