Hindu Militants Attack Pregnant Christian At Funeral For Daughter

By BosNewsLife Asia Service

NEW DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)– Hindu militants armed with machetes and sticks “severely beat” a pregnant Christian woman Thursday, October 28, while she was attending the funeral of her infant daughter in India’s volatile state of Orissa, a human rights

group said.

International Christian Concern (ICC) said the “radicals”, who refuse to allow Christians to be buried in the village of Bendaguda, also attacked several other Christians.

“At the time of this reporting Sonadei, the assaulted pregnant woman, was bleeding heavily,” ICC told BosNewsLife in a statament.  ICC said the woman has not received any medical attention because there is no hospital in the village.

Pastor Vijay Kumar, who was apparently also attacked,  said victims “panicked” and were “hiding in a house with the decomposed body of the baby, fearful of what might happen to them tonight.” ICC, which published his statement, said the past requested prayer.

ICC said it was sending financial assistance to help Sonadei with her medical expenses. It was not immediately clear where she would be treated for her injuries.  ICC said it had urged its suporters to “pray that Sonadei and her unborn child will survive and get the medical attention they need” and for other Christians “who are now in hiding.”

ICC’s Regional Manager for South Asia, Jonathan Racho, who closely monitored the case told BosNewsLife that his staff’s “hearts are broken to hear the plight of Sonadei and the other assaulted Christians. It’s very sad that she has to suffer this assault on the day when she was mourning the death of her baby girl.”

His said his organization has urged authorities to take action against suspects. “‘This outrageous and inhumane act by Hindu radicals must not go unpunished. We urge Indian police to immediately move to the area, protect the Christians and arrest the perpetrators.”

In a message to its supporters, ICC urged Christians around the world to call the Indian embassy in their country “and politely ask the Indian officials to send the police to the village of Bendaguda and protect the Christians.”

Orissa has been the scene of violence in recent years. Over 100 people are believed to have died and tens of thousands of people forced to flee their homes in anti-Christian violence since 2007. India is a predominantly Hindu nation and hard-line Hindu groups have expressed anger over the spread of Christianity, especially in impoverished rural areas of the country.