Over 20 Christians were arrested last month after police officers were pressured by a group of armed Hindu extremists who ambushed two churches and terrorized church members in India on February 7, accusing them of forcing people to convert into Christianity, a report says.
Eyewitnesses told Morning Star News that a group of armed Hindu extremists from the Hindu Yuva Janjati Sangathan, or Hindu Youth Tribe Organization (HYJS) when translated, attacked and damaged the church in Madhya Pradesh, which at that time was in the middle of a worship service, and terrorized Christian members by questioning them and forcefully inspecting their things unsolicited.
The police arrived at the scene before the mob attacked the church. But instead of stopping the Hindu extremists from terrorizing the church, the police were just bystanders, watching as the mob work their way through the church.
The Hindu extremists first went to Pastor Dilipsingh Vasunia's church to disrupt their Sunday service before raiding Pastor Malsingh Meda's church. Worshipers were questioned while a gun was pointed at them as the Hindu extremists inspect their belongings and checked their Bibles.
Morning Star News reported that a video on social media was posted, showing the mob assaulting church members while the police did nothing to stop them.
According to Pastor Vasunia's relative Abhishek Ninama, Pastor Vasunia and his Nephew, Bhajan Vasunia, were later arrested by police officials and taken to the Udaigarh police station for allegedly forcing people to convert into Christianity.
After the mob finished terrorizing Pastor Vasunia's church, they went on to do the same for Pastor Meda's church at Bhamdakhapar village, where the police also did nothing to stop the assault.
Pastor Meda narrated how the mob divided into groups while entering the building.
"One group entered the church and, locking the door from inside, they began to assault me and all the male members, while another group damaged all the vehicles parked outside the church," he said.
"Yet another group climbed the roof and broke the roof with heavy stones. They then began to attack us with stones by throwing them from the roof. They aimed a huge stone at my wife, and she barely escaped it."
In an interview with Morning Star News, Pastor Meda recalled: "I was conducting the service when one of them [Hindu extremists], carrying a gun, came and slapped me twice on my face."
"Then another man carrying a gun approached me and slapped me, then three others carrying wooden sticks came one after another and hit me with the sticks," he added.
Pastor Meda also mentioned how his son was prevented by police officers from entering the church while a group of armed Hindu extremists pushed their way into the church.
The mob was able to beat up male members of the church with wooden sticks, including a senior citizen. They also confiscated a Bible, a cross and some Christian literature inside the church. Thankfully, the female members were able to hide and lock themselves inside a room and weren't harmed by the mob.
But police officers went on to arrest Pastor Meda along with other 21 members of the church for a complaint filed by the Hindu extremists, accusing them of forcing conversions as well.
Pastor Meda was released at 1 a.m. the following day while Pastor Vasunia only obtained bail on February 10.
Their arrest comes under a new ordinance that was passed on January 9 called the "Freedom of Religion Act" or "Anti-conversion Law."
