Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has said it is “deeply concerned” by reports of a mob attack on a church in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh.
It is alleged that the attack took place on Sunday morning at a church in the village of Sadrapal. Around 100 villagers are said to have converged on the church, in which 60 Christians were worshipping for their weekly service.
The mob demanded that those in the church renounce their faith and then physically attacked them when they refused to do so. Children and a pregnant woman are believed to be among the victims.
While no-one died in the attack, many sustained injuries.
CSW sources say that the injured were initially denied treatment at a local hospital as the police refused to open an investigation into the attack until nearly a week after it had happened. Two days after the police investigation began, 12 people were arrested but all were subsequently released.
Christians in the village are alleged to have faced discrimination from other villagers for some time. They have been denied access to local water sources. Such actions are not unusual in parts of India, where Christians often face what is effectively a social boycott, with many refused service at shops or having their own shops boycotted.
State authorities can sometimes make things worse.
According to Open Doors the state of Chhattisgarh has banned house churches in order to maintain “cultural harmony”. Many Indian states also impose “anti-conversion” laws. In theory such laws are meant to protect people from being coerced or forced to change their religion.
In practice they are often used to crack down on non-Hindu religious practices. The laws have never been deployed against Hindus.
CSW’s Director of Advocacy Anna Lee Stangl said, of the recent case in India, “CSW is deeply concerned by this latest attack on Christians in Chhattisgarh, and particularly by claims that the hospital initially denied treatment to those who urgently needed it.
“We urge the relevant authorities to investigate these claims thoroughly and ensure that anyone who has participated in or supported this violence faces appropriate legal consequences.
"We also call on local law enforcement to take immediate measures to ensure that the Christians who will be directly affected are guaranteed protection.”
