Christians attacked then arrested in Karnataka

(May 3, 2010) Police have arrested four Christians on charges of making illegal religious conversions in southern India’s Karnataka state, after their group was attacked by radical Hindus. The four who were arrested on Saturday were part of a 100-member group that was on “a discovery of Karnataka tour” that began on March 29, according to the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC). The group comprising priests, nuns and youths from St. Francis Xavier Church in Bangalore, the state capital, stopped at the village of Hunsur to meet some local people. They were attacked by around 30 members of Hindu radical groups who accused them of converting locals to Christianity. Police charged Father Robin Das Paul, the Church group leader, and two other male members and locked them up in Hunsur jail, while a woman member was sent to the prison in Mysore. Media quoted the police as saying the Church group had distributed pamphlets, books and other materials among villagers encouraging them to convert to Christianity. GCIC president Sajan George has denied the charge and said that they were only peacefully spreading the message of Jesus Christ.