Pastor and Family Detained; Multiple Other Christians Arrested

Christians worshipping together in India.
A worship service in India.
Photo: VOMC

A pastor, his wife and their three-year-old son have been jailed in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh after holding a prayer service at their home in Haidargarh on July 30th. Pastor Harendra Singh and his wife Priya were arrested and remanded on allegations of "luring innocent people to Christianity." Because both of these parents were detained, they had to take their young son with them to prison.

This family was among several other groups of believers who were recently arrested in Uttar Pradesh. An unnamed Christian leader in the region stated, "The situation has reached such a stage that holding a prayer service or reading the Bible at home can land you in jail." On the same day that Pastor Harendra and his family were taken into custody, Pastor Amarjeet Ram and 14 other Christians were arrested at a prayer meeting in the village of Balapur. While 11 of the believers had been released on bail soon afterwards, Pastor Amarjeet and three others remained in custody until they were granted bail on August 9th. Additionally, in two separate incidents that occurred around the same time in other districts of the state, similar arrests were made of seven other Christians.

State law prohibits any change of religion through allurement, force or coercion. However, false accusations frequently lead to charges where there has been no such inducement. Uttar Pradesh tops the list of states in India where Christians experience persecution because of their faith. For more reports addressing the challenges encountered by our Christian brothers and sisters in India, go to our country report.

Pray that all charges will be dropped against these Christians who now must legally contend with judicial authorities in defence of the false accusations presented against them because of their faith. In the interim, may Pastor Harendra and his family, as well as the other believers remaining in custody, tangibly sense the Lord's comforting presence with them. Amid the increasing religious tensions taking place in various states of India, pray that followers of Jesus will find effective ways to continue sharing the love and grace of God with those around them.

India Information

  • Current Ministry Projects

    VOMC assists persecuted Christians with legal support and rehabilitation assistance, and cares for children of martyrs by providing them with a safe place to be nurtured physical and spiritually. VOMC also partners to equip Christians in India with Biblical training and works to strengthen and support marginalized and persecuted Christian women. Additionally, VOMC helps to provide medical assistance to believers who have faced injuries after being attacked.”

    Project Funds: Families of Martyrs, Equipping the Saints, Legal Defense, Relief and Development, Women’s Ministry, Medical Fund

  • Country Information

    Population
    1,399,179,585 (2023 est.)

    Ethnicity (%)
    Indo-Aryan (72), Dravidian (25), other (3)

    Religion (%)
    Hinduism (79.8), Muslim (14.2), Christianity (2.3), Sikh (1.7), other (2)

    Leader
    President Droupadi Murmu (2022)

    Government type
    Federal parliamentary republic

    Legal system
    Based on English common law; separate personal law codes apply to Christians, Hindus and Muslims.

    Source: CIA World Factbook

  • Pray for India

    Despite the intimidation and violence that have taken place in many of India's states, may Christians wisely yet unashamedly preach the Gospel. Pray that indigenous Christians and foreign missionaries will minister in ways that do not hint at fraudulent conversions, unmasking the intentions behind the anti-conversion legislation. Intercede for India's leaders, that they may reign with justice and righteousness.

India News

  • Supreme Court to Review Anti-Conversion Laws
    The India Supreme Court building is surrounded by trees.
    The Supreme Court of India.
    Photo: Wikimedia / Subhashish Panigrahi (cc)

    The Supreme Court of India has agreed to hear a series of petitions challenging the constitutionality of anti-conversion laws enacted by several of the country's states. On September 16th, the court issued notices to the respective state governments, requesting their formal responses within four weeks. The case is scheduled to be heard in six weeks, and the judges have indicated that they may consider ordering the states to pause the enforcement of their existing laws until a decision is made.

  • New Policies Further Restrict Religious Freedom
    A brightly lit church building is filled with people.
    A church in India.
    Photo: Flickr / Ashish Kumar Milap (cc)

    Recent developments in two Indian states have raised serious concerns for Christians, particularly in relation to the newly heightened restrictions on religious conversions. In the first incident, police in Chhattisgarh notified more than 200 house churches around the state capital city of Raipur that worship gatherings within private homes are no longer permitted.

  • Pastors Arrested and Assaulted
    A crowd is gathered around a church building.
    A screenshot of people disrupting the service in Bhilai.
    Photo: Morning Star News

    On July 20th, six pastors were arrested after a mob disrupted a church service in Bhilai, a city located within the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. The assailants chanted Hindu slogans and accused the pastors of engaging in forcible conversions. As the mob grew increasingly vocal, shouting obscenities and threatening violence, Pastor Baksh locked the church doors to protect his congregation members.

  • Severe Restrictions Accompany Anti-Conversion Legislation
    A church congregation is gathered during a service.
    A church in India.
    Photo: World Watch Monitor

    In early July, the Maharashtra state government announced plans to introduce stringent anti-conversion legislation. The new laws, which are expected to be the most severe of their kind in the country, are particularly aimed at preventing religious conversions within tribal communities. While the stated intent is to prevent incidents of coercion, legislators have used language demonstrating a broader aim to restrict religious conversions of any sort. During the announcement, the state's revenue minister, Chandrashekhar Bawankule, declared that the law would be so strict "no one will dare to undertake religious conversion."