Seven Christians have been arrested under the state anti-conversion law of Madhya Pradesh, central India, after three incidents of extremists making false accusations.
On Sunday 27 September, a mob attacked a church service in Betul District.
Police arrested Pastor Paul Sheshkar and Pastor Raglin from the church. Barnabas Aid contacts reported on 28 September that both had been jailed on charges of carrying out unlawful conversions.
A church building in Madhya Pradesh burned by extremists in in 2023 [Image credit: LICAS News]
On the same Sunday, in Rewa District, police arrested Pastor Basantlal Saket and another believer, Shyam Sundar Saket, after receiving complaints of alleged unlawful conversions being carried out at a prayer meeting.
These incidents followed a similar one on 24 September. Three pastors – Rajpati Singh, Rajendra Bahadur Singh and Philip Thomas – were jailed after a group of protestors made allegations against them.
The Madhya Pradesh anti-conversion law – officially, Freedom of Religion Bill – prohibits seeking converts through force or coercion.
Thirteen Indian states have anti-conversion laws.
Extremists often wrongly believe that such laws criminalise all conversions from Hinduism, or even that they outlaw any form of Christian evangelism or worship.
How you can pray
Pray that there will be justice for our wrongly accused brothers in Christ. Ask that the authorities will uphold India’s commitment to religious freedom. Ask too that Indian believers will remain firm in their Christian faith despite the troubles they often face.
