Worship services at a church in a village in central India’s Madhya Pradesh state have been suspended since Hindu extremists attacked the congregation on June 1, sources said.
The mob of about 20 villagers led by members of the Hindu extremist Bajrang Dal intruded into the house of Pastor Madia Damor in Thuvadara village, Jabua District, disrupting the worship service and beating the 50 people gathered for fasting prayer, including women and children.
The assailants arrived at about 4 p.m., seized Bibles from children and began beating male and female members, Pastor Damor said.
“There was all chaos,” he told Morning Star News. “The children and women were crying, shouting, asking them to stop, but they forcefully dragged them out of my house,” Pastor Damor told Morning Star News. “When I tried to stop the mob from attacking the women and children, they pushed me off and threatened me that they would kill me if I conducted church prayers in the village again.”
Others also tried to protect the children and women as the mob seized a 54-year-old Christian identified only as Noorji and pushed him a few meters in front of the pastor’s premises.
“The mob started pelting stones at Noorji. He was isolated from the congregation, and they chased him away by a few meters and started pelting stones at him,” Pastor Damor said. “Then they pointed at Noorji and warned the members that whoever gathers for prayers would be stoned to death. They scared the children also by pointing at Noorji, saying, ‘Look at him! This could be you if you come to prayers again.’”
Noorji underwent treatment at a private hospital in Jabua for over a month.
“He has not recovered fully yet” the pastor said. “The treatment has been very expensive for Noorji’s family. He is only a laborer and earns daily wages for his livelihood.”
The Bajrang Dal mob targeted Noorji because his entire family had put their faith in Christ, he said.
“His children and their spouses also have been baptized and stood boldly for Christian faith in this Thuvadara village,” he said.
Village Christians later went to Ranapur Taluk police station to report the attack. Pastor Damor detailed the facts of the attack to police, but the mob soon arrived, and officers sided with the assailants, he said.
“Instead of listening to us and recording our statements, the police started questioning us,” Pastor Damor told Morning Star News. “The police asked me, ‘Why do you conduct worship services in the village when they are saying not to conduct Christian worship?’ The police did not understand our grievances. Even after seeing Noorji bleeding continuosly, the police did not take any steps to send him for medical examination and treatment.”
The Christians were unable to spend more time seeking justice as they had to rush Noorji to a private hospital for treatment, he said.
Hindu extremists previously launched attacks on the congregation in 2019, 2015 and 2012, he said.
“Each time we go to the police station to report the attack, the police don’t believe us,” he said.
In the 2019 assault, his daughter-in-law was so severely injured that they had to cease worship services for a year.
“It was a time when my family and I were forced to take the decision to leave the ministry,” Pastor Damor told Morning Star News. “It was very difficult for me personally. But the whole country was shut due to COVID-19 lockdown.”
Church members learned to use mobile phones and the internet to continue virtual services.
“God opened a door when all the doors were shut,” Pastor Damor said. “It was only during COVID-19 lockdown that new members came to believe Christ even from among those who attacked us earlier. The Lord has done great wonders.”
Church members in need of prayer now stop by his house by 7 a.m., before villagers begin work, to wake secretly pray for urgent needs.
“Parents bring their sick children early in the morning seeking prayers,” the pastor said. “If they have come from a bit far away, we advise them to join in prayers over phone.”
Sunday worship, however, has completely stopped, he said.
“The congregation fears there could be another attack if they gathered again,” he said.
Instead of filing a First Information Report and investigating, Police at Ranapur Taluk filed a Non-Cognizable Report, which prohibits them from investigating without a warrant from a court.
“This house church is the only place of Christian worship in Thuvadara village,” Pastor Damor said. “They have shut down the only church present in the village. We request prayers for courage and strength to continue the ministry during these difficult times.”
India ranked 11th on Christian support organization Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian. The country was 31st in 2013, but its position worsened after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power.
The hostile tone of the National Democratic Alliance government, led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), against non-Hindus, has emboldened Hindu extremists in several parts of the country to attack Christians since Modi took power in May 2014, religious rights advocates say.
