Indian pastor attacked while escorting believer home

Persecution watchdog International Christian Concern has reported an attack on an Indian pastor on 4 November in Karnataka state.

Pastor Thankaraj, 50, has been ministering in Melukamanahalli village for 10 years and has a congregation of 20 people.

According to ICC, one of the members of his church, a woman named Thulasiamma was being persecuted by her family. On the evening of 4 November she was escorted back to her village by the pastor after a prayer meeting.

At around 1pm, the two reached Hosalli Colony. At that point, four radical Hindu's saw them and attacked pastor Thankaraj, dragging him through some thorns and kicking him in the head.

He was then held hostage until 8pm by the radicals when his captors then released him.

The captors have filed a complaint with the police against the pastor, charging him with prostitution. The pastor is still waiting to hear the outcome of the complaint.