By Santosh Digal, Worthy News Asia Correspondent reporting from India
CALCUTTA, INDIA (Worthy News)-- Christians in India's eastern West Bengal state were recovering of their injuries Thursday, April 12, after Muslim militants broke up a prayer meeting and beat up believers, including women, local police and Christians said.
The March 30 attack in the village of Nutangram in Murshidabad district involved "about 100 Muslim radicals" led by Muslim leader Mohammed Aanu Shaike, local Christians explained.
There was no immediate reaction from the leader and no group claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Muslim mob allegedly "barged into the prayer meeting" at the home of a Christian and verbally abused them and mercilessly beat up the Christians including women."
Muslim women were also provoked to beat up Christian women, witnesses said. The Muslims reportedly chased the Christians, including children, with a knives, threatening to murder them all.
"RUNNING FOR LIVES"
Christians were seen "running for their lives including children who were crying in fear but they were stopped at every corner by radicals who kicked, pushed and verbally abused them," added Christians, who did not want to be identified.
Some 500 Muslims allegedly watched the scene "in amusement" as the Christians were chased around for about one and a half hour, injuring some Christians.
Local police said they rushed to the spot after being informed about the tensions by Christian leaders. There were no reports that suspects have been detained.
Increased Muslim attacks against Christians are a relative new phenomena in India, a predominantly Hindu nation where often Hindu militants are known for violence targeting the nation's minority Christian community.