Two Christian families were beaten and banned from their home village in India’s Odisha state after they refused to recant their Christian faith in December 2019. According to local reports, these Christians remain strong in their Christian faith despite the persecution.
In December 2019, Pudiya Kovasi, his wife Somay Kovasi, Mukka Pudiyami, and his wife Gangi, converted to Christianity. These families made their decision to convert to Christianity after they received a healing prayer from a local Christian pastor named Peter Madkami.
On December 17, the two couples were called before a community meeting in Promilapadar village and asked to recant their Christian faith. When the couples refused, they were attacked and beaten with wooden sticks.
Both couples were able to escape, but sustained several injuries. Pudiya Kovasi had several injuries on his back and Muuka Pudiyami was left bleeding.
Following the December 17 meeting, the Christian couples have been banned from Promilapandar village. They have been told that they will be killed if they return to the village. Pastor Peter Madkami has also been banned from Promilapandar.
Across India attacks on Christians and their places of worship continue to increase. Under the current BJP-led government, religious intolerance has been allowed to escalate unchecked. Religious conversion has historically been a sensitive topic in India. Now, with religious intolerance reaching unprecedented levels, mere rumors of religious conversion are enough to incite religiously motivated violence.
Source: ICC www.persecution.org
