By James Varghese
Special to ASSIST News Service
KARNATAKA, INDIA (ANS) -- A group of 40 Hindu radicals barged into a worship service and gospel meeting and attacked the pastor and believers in Bagalkot in Karnataka state, India on July 27.
According to a news reported by www.persecution.in, which is run by the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), this incident took place as Pastor Basappa was conducting a two day Gospel meeting in a private hotel called Anugraha.
The site said that on the second day of the meeting, as the people were still gathering and the meeting was about to begin and at around 11.30 am a mob of nearly 40 Hindu radicals barged into the assembly, shouting filthy abuses slapped the musician named Sampath Kumar and, as Pastor Basappa who saw this happening, tried to stop them and the radicals pushed him away and his spectacles broke off leaving him with a found on his face.
Speaking about the Incident Pastor Basappa told ANS, “As soon as blood start to flow from my face, the radicals got scared and suddenly the police arrived to the scene and started to yell at me and our musician and told us to get into the police vehicle. Along with myself, my wife, and two daughters Krupa and Manjusha, we were taken to the Police station for interrogation.â€
The website reported that, after attacking the pastor, the radicals did not leave the place but waited and grabbed Bibles and hymnbooks from the congregation and tore them to shreds and proceeded to beat up a few other believers. The site reported that nearly 100 Bibles were destroyed by the radicals.
Speaking about the attack and the injuries Pastor Basappa told ANS, “ No one was severely hurt, but a small child got a wound on his head and had to have 10 stitches. The child got hurt as the radicals threw a plastic chair in the air. The child is said to doing fine and okay and nothing serious.â€
GCIC president Dr. Sajan George contacted Mr. G. Ramesh, Superintendent of Police and is closely monitoring the situation in the hospital and police station.
GCIC told that in the true spirit of Christ and for harmony and in the background of serial bomb blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad, they have informed the officials to withdraw criminal charges against the perpetrators and also demanded safety and right of and freedom to worship true God.
The website said that legal aid has been extended by GCIC to the pastor and believers.