PHOOLPUR, India — Three Christians were jailed in India on Aug. 3 after two of them were attacked for comforting a bereaved Hindu man.
Neel Durai, Vijay Kumar Patel and his wife Kiran Devi, had gone to the home of Lalji Vishwakarma, a Hindu, to pray for him and his granddaughters — his wife, son and daughter-in-law had recently died of COVID-19.
A nearby shopkeeper heard the prayer and brought a mob to Vishwakarma’s home. About 20 Hindu extremists entered and others surrounded the house. The extremists beat the two pastors and Vishwakarma and threatened to kill them.
Under pressure from villagers, Phoolpur police arrested the Christians on charges of forced conversions and other crimes. The next day people gathered at the police station to protest against the Christians. On Aug. 5, a judge rejected bail for the three.
Alliance Defending Freedom India said 28 incidents of hostility against Christians in Uttar Pradesh state have occurred already this year.
India is No. 10 on Open Doors’ 2021 World Watch List of places most difficult to be a Christian.
