Four Americans attend Christian conference attacked in India

[Daanyeer]

Source: mensdaily

February 05, 2007
Vox Populi
By Paul Ciniraj


Raipur (India), SVM News, 5 February, 2007: A Christian conference attacked by Hindu extremists on the 2nd February in Pandri in Raipur, the capital city of Chattisgarh State in India.
Number of pastors, evangelists, health and educational trainees and volunteers from different parts of India were attending the conference. The conference was discussing about the quick action against HIV/Aids from Indian villages and to propagate health and hygenic problems and leading a holy life among the villagers. Dr. Victor Choudheri, the former professor of the Ludhiana Medical College was organising the conference.
The alleged attack took place on Friday afternoon, after lunch -break, when the meeting convened again, a mob of Hindu Radical barged into the Meeting and attacked the participanats without any provocation.
Four American tourists and a local couple were also attacked on the conference.
Mr. Jack, Mr. Coli and Mr and Mrs Ted Olsen were the Amercian tourists, interested to listen the classes about Indian villages and its health and hygenic problems. But they were allegedly assaulted and looted by unidentified youths “for involving in religious conversion”, police said on Saturday.
According to the complaint filed against the attackers at the Moa Police station in Pandri, Lodi Para, Raipur by Pastor Harish Patel and Sewa Sing, the hindu extremists, who were raising “Jai Sriram” slogans, dragged the foreigners a distance of 1 Km and beating them. The attackers took away their two laptops, digital cameras, mobile phones and Rs.5000.
A Young local Christian man Sakha Ram brutally beaten and suffers injuries all across his body. Women also mishandled by the attackers.
The extremists accused the gathering of involving in conversion activities and damaged some properties before escaping with the costly gadgets.
A case registered against unknown persons as the complainant has not named anyone in the FIR. Police said to the SVM News Service.
Pastor Paul Ciniraj, Chairman of the Christian Ministers of the Churches in India (CMCI) and the Director of the Salem Voice Ministries condemned the attack to the Christian educational health conference which was held in Raipur. The State government of Chattisgarh and the Central government of India quickly take action against the attackers of the American tourists who were interested for learning the Indian culture and enjoying with Indians, he said.
Following the incident, former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ajit Jogi demanded arrest of those responsible for the incident. A delegation from Christian community called on Jogi on Saturday. Jogi spoke to B.S. Maravi, the Superindent of Police of Raipur and asked him take steps to check such incidents in future.

Read this news at the original site:
http://salemvoice.org/news134.html
Salem Voice Ministries,
Devalokam (P.O), Kottayam,
Kerala-686038, India.
http://salemvoice.org