By Joseph DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent
BANGALORE, INDIA (Worthy News)-- Following complaints from radical Hindu groups, police recently closed Pentecostal churches in the districts of Hassan and Bangalore.
"Hindu extremists with the complicity of the authorities continue their reign of terror against defenseless a Christian community," said Sajan K. George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians.
In Bangalore, police arrested the pastor of the Church of God Full Gospel for not having permission to conduct worship services and for alledgedly practicing so called "forced conversions". According to George, police inspector Balram Gowda "threatened the pastor in a clear fashion and ordered to close the church".
On the same day in Hassan district, Hindu extremists stormed the End Times Full Harvest Pentecostal Church, beating Pastor John Frederick D'Souza while forcefully taking Bibles from the congregation, then throwing them to the ground. When the police finally arrived, they closed the church because there were no religious practice permits in addition to more accusations of "forced conversions".
"The Pentecostal pastors were systematically beaten and threatened," said George, "dragged into police stations with false accusations, arrested and locked up, often without even the option of bail. And now, the followers of these churches have no Sunday service."