On Sunday, March 1, Pastor Manju Keralli was leading a worship service in Bennakoop village, located in the Gadag district of Karnataka. Suddenly, a mob of radical Hindu nationalists wearing t-shirts that said “Jai Sri Ram” broke into the service.

According to Pastor Keralli, the radicals hurled abusive language at the Christians, physically assaulted those present, and destroyed the church’s instruments and furniture.

“I fell to the ground after receiving several punches and kicks,” Pastor Keralli told International Christian Concern (ICC). “Then, they dragged me out of the meeting hall, tied me to a tree outside, and further released blows and punches. They took me to two other places in the same village and tied me to an electrical pole and a pillar in the marketplace. All the time they continued their physical harassment for more than three hours.”

“Later, police arrived and took me to the police station,” Pastor Keralli continued. “Even the police threatened me with foul language, saying that I don’t have right to live in this country as I am practicing foreign faith.”

At the station, the police then filed a criminal case against Pastor Keralli under India’s blasphemy law (IPC Section 295). However, the police failed to file a criminal case against the radicals that broke into the church and assailed the Christians.

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