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India persecution: Christian youth burned in acid attack

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – A Christian youth was horribly burned with acid in a suspected anti-Christian attack in northern India’s Bihar state last week, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports. Christian persecution in India has intensified dangerously since the Hindu nationalist party Bharatiya Janata Party took power in 2014; India now ranks 10 on the US Open Doors 2021 Watch List of countries where Christians are persecuted.

Aged 16, Nitish Kumar was attacked while on his way to the market very early in the morning, ICC said. Nitish and his brother, Sanjith, are both active in the local church and in daily prayer meetings: the family converted to Christianity two years ago after being delivered from an evil spirit, ICC was told.

Nitish’s sister, Raja Davabi, told ICC that her brother was carried home screaming, with burns all over his body. “It was a horrifying scene of my brother,” Raja said. “I started yelling and crying looking at my brother. He was in terrible pain at that point and all that I could do is to share the pain by wrapping him in my hands.”

The local pastor (who has not been named for security reasons) helped rush Nitish to a clinic for first aid treatment before he was sent to a specialized burn unit in Patna, India, ICC reports. It was discovered that Nitish had burns on 60% of his body. “This is very cruel of what happened to Nitish Kumar, it just terrified the Christian community in the region. There has been increased anti-Christian sentiment, and attacks against Christians in the district are increasing, and these attacks are becoming more brutal, just like what happened to Nitish Kumar,” the Pastor told ICC.

ICC has called for prayer: “Please pray for Nitish Kumar, that the lord would bring him complete healing and peace during this difficult time. Please also pray for his family, as well as for all of the families of those who have suffered acid attacks and other acts of violence. Lastly, please pray for those who persecute the church, that they would experience the true healing and joy that comes with accepting Jesus as Lord.”