Police inaction plays a role in the process of closure.

Hindu extremists attacked a church in a village in Madhya Pradesh state, India, resulting in the suspension of worship services since June 1.

In Thuvadara village, Jabua District, a mob of around 20 villagers, comprising women and children, forcefully entered Pastor Madia Damor’s residence. They disrupted the ongoing worship service and violently attacked the group of 50 people who had assembled for a fasting prayer.

Upon arrival at around 4 p.m., the assailants took Bibles from the children and began beating both male and female members, as Pastor Damor recounted.

According to his account, chaos was widespread in the Morning Star News. “The children and women were crying, shouting, and asking them to stop, but they forcefully dragged them out of my house,” Pastor Damor told Morning Star News. “When I tried to stop the mob from attacking the women and children, they pushed me off and threatened me. They would kill me if I conducted church prayers in the village again.”

Others also tried to protect the children and women as the mob seized a 54-year-old Christian identified only as Noorji and pushed him a few meters in front of the pastor’s premises.

“The mob started pelting stones at Noorji. He was isolated from the congregation, and they chased him away by a few meters and started pelting stones at him,” Pastor Damor said. When they spotted Noorji, they sent signals and issued threats, warning that anyone gathering for prayers would face death by stoning.

Noorji underwent treatment at a private hospital in Jabua for over a month.

“He has not recovered fully yet,” the pastor said. “The treatment has been costly for Noorji’s family. He is only a laborer and earns daily wages for his livelihood.”

The Bajrang Dal mob targeted Noorji because his entire family had put their faith in Christ, he said.

“His children and their spouses also have been baptized and stood boldly for the Christian faith in this Thuvadara village,” he said.

Village Christians later went to Ranapur Taluk police station to report the attack. Pastor Damor detailed the facts of the attack to police, but the mob soon arrived, and officers sided with the assailants, he said.

“Instead of listening to us and recording our statements, the police started questioning us,” Pastor Damor told Morning Star News. “The police asked me, ‘Why do you conduct worship services in the village when they say not to conduct Christian worship?’

The police did not understand our grievances. Even after seeing Noorji bleeding continuously, the police did not take any steps to send him for medical examination and treatment.”

The Christians could not spend more time seeking justice as they had to rush Noorji to a private hospital for treatment, he said.

Hindu extremists previously launched attacks on the congregation in 2019, 2015, and 2012, he said.

“Each time we go to the police station to report the attack, the police don’t believe us,” he said.

In the 2019 assault, his daughter-in-law was so severely injured that they had to cease worship services for a year.

Pastor Damor told Morning Star News that his family had to make the tough choice to leave the ministry. It was a challenging experience for me.

Church members learned to use mobile phones and the internet to continue providing virtual services.

“When every door was closed, God opened a door,” Pastor Damor shared. “It was only during the COVID-19 lockdown that new members came to believe Christ, even from among those who attacked us earlier. The Lord has done great wonders.”

Church members who need prayer now stop by his house by 7 a.m., before villagers begin work, to wake up and secretly pray for urgent needs.

“Parents bring their sick children early in the morning seeking prayers,” the pastor said. “If they have come from a bit far away, we advise them to join in prayers over the phone.”

Sunday worship, however, has completely stopped, he said.

“The congregation fears there could be another attack if they gathered again,” he said.

Instead of filing a First Information Report and investigating, police at Ranapur Taluk filed a Non-Cognizable Report, which prohibits them from investigating without a court warrant.

Pastor Damor stated that the house church is the sole Christian place of worship in Thuvadara village. “They have shut down the only church present in the village. We request prayers for courage and strength to continue the ministry during these difficult times.” 

India secured the 11th position on Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List, highlighting the most arduous countries for Christians. The country was 31st in 2013, but its position worsened after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power.

Religious rights advocates claim that the BJP-led government’s hostile stance towards non-Hindus has empowered Hindu extremists to target Christians in various parts of the country since Modi assumed office in May 2014.