Attacks have included the demolition of a church building and the disruption of prayer servicesChristians in India continue to suffer persecution, even during the holy season of Lent. AsiaNews reports:
On March 13 in Gadia (Jagdalpur district , Chhattisgarh), a group of Hindu fundamentalists accompanied by administrative personnel and police demolished a church, claiming it had been built illegally. The local community tried to intervene, but the group physically and verbally attacked the Christians, not sparing women and children. Before demolishing the church, the Hindu radicals and officials destroyed Bibles, musical instruments and pews, and then desecrated other sacred objects.
A few days earlier, on March 10, hundreds of Hindu extremists attacked a prayer service of the Brethren Assembly Church, in the village of Chirayinkeezzh (Trivandrum district , Kerala), beating those present with wooden sticks. One Christian suffered serious head injuries. The Hindus attacked the community accusing it of practicing forced conversions.
