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Persecution News Persecution Watch Aug 20, 2011
Persecution News Persecution Watch Aug 20, 2011
| Persecution Watch Aug 20, 2011 |
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August 20, 2011 Pastor Arrested in Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh police arrested Pastor Diwarkar Kumar after one advocate filed a compliant against him of forceful conversion on 29 July in Bilaspur, Kawardha district. According to our correspondent Rev Akhilesh Edgar, on 28 July a Christian girl, Rani Matle expressed her desire to join a seminary to Pastor Diwaker Kumar of Believer’s Church. The Pastor advised her to submit an affidavit to the church, stating her wish to study Bible. Matle approached one advocate to prepare an affidavit for the same. When another advocate Naval Kishore Pandey learned that Rani Matle was advised by Pastor Diwakar Kumar to make the affidavit, he filed a complaint against Pastor Kumar of forceful conversion to the area Tehsildar and Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM). On the same day, the SDM summoned Rani Matle, her father Bharat Matle and Pastor Diwakar Kumar to his office and registered their statements. Rani Matle explicitly stated that there is no case of forceful conversion and "that she chose to follow Jesus by her own free will". Thereafter, the police released the pastor without charges. The SDM advised Rani Matle to get the affidavit the next morning. Subsequently, Rani Matle approached her lawyer to complete her affidavit, along with her father, Pastor Kumar and local believers on the next day. However, advocate Naval Kishore Pandey contacted a local extremist groups and caused an uproar. The police soon arrived on the spot and one constable slapped the pastor. They took him to the local police station along with Rani Matle and her father for questioning. The police forced Rani's father Bharat Matle to sign an FIR that was lodged against Pastor Diwakar Kumar under section 295(A) of the Indian Penal Code for deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs and under sections 3&4 of the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religious Act. The pastor was sent to Bemetara Jail but after the intervention of the leaders of EFI Networks and Chhattisgarh Christian Forum, the pastor was released on bail on 5 August. |
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Hebrews 6:10“For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.”
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