By Worthy News Asia Service
NEW DELHI, INDIA (Worthy News)-- A Christian young woman has been raped in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, but police refuse to detain the known suspect while her family faces death threats, a Christian human rights official said Saturday, October 24 .
The woman, who was only identified as 20-year-old Karuna from Vadvalli village, was raped October 10 at around 7.00 pm local time by a 24-year old fellow villager who name is known with authorities, said Sajan K. George the president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), a major advocacy group.
Amid pressure from rights activists, police agreed to record the complaint from locals only on October 15, after initially refusing to do so, George told Worthy News.
However, "The police as well a powerful section of villagers are threatening the persons who went to lodge the complaint. The lives of the victim Karuna and her family members are at stakes as there is no protection for their lives," he said.
NATIONAL AUTHORITIES
He said the GCIC has approached India's National Commission for Women “to take appropriate action and to direct the state government to extend financial assistance and protection to the victim and the family.”
The rape of the Christian girl is no isolated incident. There has been an increase in sexual and other abuse of Christians in India, often involving Hindu radical groups, Christians groups say.
India is a predominantly Hindu nation where militants, backed by authorities in several states, have expressed concerns about the spread of Christianity in some areas of the country.
Since last year, over 100 people died in the Indian state of Orissa in anti-Christian violence, and there have also been violent attacks reported in other states.
Rapes of Christian girls have also been reported in neighboring Pakistan, a predominantly Muslim nation. (With reporting by Worthy News' Stefan J. Bos).