Hindu nationalists attack Anglicans in Tamil Nadu, one dead

Members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist organisation, have been relentlessly attacking Christians in Kanyakumari District (Tamil Nadu). On Sunday, a man was killed and two more suffered serious injuries to the head. All three belonged to the (Anglican) Church of South India (CSI) in the village of Nadaikavu. Police filed a first information report against Dharmaraj, head of the local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a Hindu nationalist party, and six other men. Fearing more violence, they deployed an additional 1,000 agents to patrol the area.

The first attack took place in the village of Sasthancode, where a local resident, Gnanamuthu, 50, had organised a prayer service at his home. The local CSI pastor and other 15 members of the Church were in attendance.

Just after the start of the service, a mob of RSS militants came to the house and began destroying the cars, participants had parked outside. Gnanamuthu and his son Johnson came out to stop them. Instead, they were attacked with sticks, and suffered serious injuries. Both father and son were eventually taken to a local hospital as the other Christians went to file a complaint at the police station in Nithiravilai. Read more