India State Jails Pastor For “Conversion”
By Worthy News Asia Service
NEW DELHI, INDIA (Worthy News)– A pastor in India’s Karimnagar district of Andhra Pradesh state remained detained Wednesday, April 15, for his alleged involvement in “conversion activities”, Christians said.
Pastor Prabhu Dass was detained after conducting a prayer service and distributing Christian literature in a local believer’s home in Dharmapuri village, explained the All India Christian Council, a major advocacy group.
“Dass offered Christian literature to a stranger upon his request. The person immediately went out and mobilized a number of anti-Christian people,” AICC explained. “They arrived in a short while and threatened the pastor, alleging large-scale conversion activities in the area,” the group said.
After the angry mob took him to a local police station, he was taken into custody and sent him to a local jail. “The local pastors, agitated over the development, are making efforts to get the pastor out on bail,” the group said.
AICC said it has condemned “the attack and subsequent highhanded behavior of the police who sent him to jail” and demanded “his immediate release”.
The case has underscored concerns among churches about a crackdown on mission activities in the predominantly Hindu nation.