Hindu Mobs Beat Christians in India While Police Are Powerless

For the past few weeks, my inbox has again been flooded with reports of Christian persecution in India. Honestly, I did not know what to write. Should I repeat the same heartbreaking stories happening week after week?

Hindu extremists plan which church to attack, then march in as mobs on Sundays. They beat pastors, chant slogans, and drag them into the streets. Women are treated disgracefully.

In Chhattisgarh, the president of the Christian Forum, Mr. Panalal, was openly threatened and told that he and his entire Christian community could be wiped out in 15 minutes. This was broadcast on microphones and spread all over social media—yet police and government authorities do nothing. Where are these mobs getting weapons, when even Indian police do not carry guns? The video below details this incident:

Should I share the tearful videos of pastors’ families sobbing over their destroyed churches and scattered congregations? Or the believers who went on a picnic, paused to worship in the open, and were dragged to the police station under false charges of “conversion”?

Recently, every house church in Chhattisgarh was shut down—over 400 pastors, mostly Pentecostal and non-denominational, were affected. They were told to attend only Catholic churches. Christians are being choked. Even digital reports are now being monitored.

I called the president of the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum to ask how they were coping. His words broke my heart: “What do I say? Every day things are getting worse. Our people are beaten and tortured. Churches are closed. Poor tribal families have nowhere to go. We try to help them, but every door is closed. At least before, mobs feared the police—but now even the police can do nothing.”

The same story repeats elsewhere. In Uttar Pradesh, Pastor Victor lamented that all his team members had been arrested and jailed. In Rajasthan, mobs stormed churches last Sunday, seizing phones and brutally beating Pastor Bovas Daniel, his family, and his congregation—including women and children. Below is a video of police present as a mob attacks Christians:

Currently, 12 Indian states have anti-conversion laws. These laws are misused, leading to harassment, beatings, imprisonment, and the silencing of even long-time believers.

Yet, there is a small glimmer of hope: the Supreme Court of India has asked several states to respond within six weeks to petitions challenging these anti-conversion laws. Please pray for India—that justice will prevail, that the judgment will favor Christians, and that this pain and suffering will cease.

Please pray fervently for our brothers and sisters.

“If one member suffers, all suffer together.” — 2 Corinthians 12:26

The Gospel must be preached!