A Christian pastor was beaten unconscious and left locked in a room to die by radical Hindu nationalists in India’s Bihar state.
On 5 October, Pastor Shelton Vishwanathan was attacked by six nationalists as he was distributing Gospel tracts in Tiryani village. The nationalists confronted Pastor Shelton and told him to stop handing out the tracts. After Pastor Shelton agreed to their demands, the nationalists attacked.
The men seized the keys to Pastor Shelton’s scooter, took away his phone, and physically assaulted him. The last thing Pastor Shelton recalled happening was the nationalists were threatening to offer him as a sacrifice to their god as they beat him.
“They punched my back and told me that they would offer me as a sacrifice to their deity as a punishment,” Pastor Shelton said. “They struck severe blows on my head, so that I soon fainted.”
When pastor Shelton regained consciousness, he was locked by himself in a dark room. He was without any food or water.
After several days, an elderly woman who lived nearby heard Pastor Shelton’s cries and released him from the room. The elderly woman told Pastor Shelton the door was bolted from the outside and she was scared the nationalists would come after her if they found out she released him.
“Had she not helped, I would not be alive today,” Pastor Shelton said. “I fully believe that it was God who sent her to help me.”
Sources: VOM Australia, International Christian Concern, Morning Star News
Thank the Lord for the rescue of Pastor Shelton. Ask God to heal him of any physical harm resulting from the attack and the captivity.
Pray too that the Lord will help Pastor Shelton overcome the trauma of the event.
Pray the Lord will continue to grow His church in India and ask for strength and protection on behalf of those who are sharing the Gospel on the frontlines.