by Jordan Hilger, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) - Christians in central India accused of illegally practicing medicine spent Christmas Eve and Christmas in jail, later discovering that the charges against them applied to prayers for healing in which they had engaged.
Pastor Mukam Kiraad and two members of his house church in Vadi village were assaulted by local villagers radicalized by Hindu nationalists on Dec. 10, who hurled abusive language at them and locked them in their house.
Pastor Kiraad said that after he and his flock had been dragged to the police station and watched Hindu nationalists tamper with his Bible and water bottle, “everybody shared their faith testimony," and "one policeman showed his appreciation towards me for doing such a good work and wondered why the villagers were putting such allegations on me.”
“We had a nice time sharing the word of God with fellow prisoners,” Kiraad added of the time following their imprisonment. “Some of them had never heard the name of Jesus Christ, nor the gospel.”
Pastor Kiraad and the two other Christians arrested with him face charges for illegally practicing medicine for their healing prayers under a Madya Pradesh state law that carries a penalty of three years in jail.