India: Pastors beaten and arrested on charges of conversion
By James Varghese
Special to ASSIST News Service
KENDRAPARA, ORISSA, INDIA (ANS) — A dozen RSS Hindu activists caught hold of Pastor at the bus stand of Kendrapara, Orissa, who was distributing some gospel tracts and literatures and then handed him over to the police, demanding for his arrest on October 2.
This news is according to the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) website www.persecution.in
The story said that this incident took place at about 3 .30pm, as Pradip Hialo, a missionary, was distributing some gospel tracts and literatures in the Bus stand area of Kendrapara and suddenly a group of RSS activists caught hold of him and abused him with vulgar words and profaned the name of Jesus Christ.
Then these thugs beat up the pastor very badly leaving him fainted and finally took him to Kendrapara the nearest Police station. The tormentors accused him with false charge of converting Hindus into Christianity.
He was arrested by the police under Orissa freedom Religion act and IPC 153. GCIC contacted the Police personnel’s and the District. Administration and Pastor Pradip Hialo was released on bail from Kendrapara Police Station at around 11: 45 PM on October 3.
The same evening of October 2, at about 7 pm, the same radicals called Pastor Raghab Digal, a missionary of the same area. He got a telephone call and was tricked into come out and meet with these group . As soon as he came out of his house, they caught hold of him and was beaten very badly. He was admitted to the hospital with head injury and a deep cut near his eyebrow.