Christianity CRACKDOWN: Fury at plans for CHRISTIAN-FREE village

Hindu radicals are allegedly bullying worshippers in order to make central-west village Sangameshwar completely free of Christians.

Srinivas Sapa, a pastor and 42-year-old resident of the village located in Maharashtra, told International Christian Concern the issue has sparked “panic” among Christians living there.

He said: “All that the Hindu radicals want is for Sangameshwar to be a ‘Christian-free’ village.

“Of all the 50 odd Christians who are native to Sangameshwar, most were born in the village and are now panicked over the situation.”

Sangameshwar has become one of the most recent ares of Christian persecution in India after a group of radicals demolished the only remaining church built of bricks, cement and iron sheets.

Mr Sapa said: “The Hindu radicals were opposed when we decided to buy land for the church building about five years ago.

“None of the villagers were willing to sell their land for the church, as they were instructed, even threatened, by Hindu radicals not to sell.

“When one of the church members donated land for the church, the Hindu radicals installed an idol on the same premises.”

He added: “When the court found in favour of the church member, the radicals didn’t have any other option except to use their might, taking the law into their own hands and demolishing the church.”

Sangameshwar Christians have also said they have been shunned because of their faith.

Mr Sapa said: “For the last year, things have become more difficult.

“I run a grocery and medical store in Sangameshwar to support myself financially.

“The Hindu radicals have threatened villagers not to buy anything from my store.”

He added: “The Hindu radicals have even circulated messages on WhatsApp and Facebook encouraging people to beat me and break my legs and hands.”

Santhosh Reddy, another resident of Sangameshwar, added: “We were socially boycotted by the entire village.

“All of our relatives abandoned us, no one used to speak to us, and we were not allowed to attend any family or social event.”

Sangameshwar faces a growing opposition towards the Christian faith.

In Easter, Hindu extremists inflicted a series of attacks over the religious period with violent assaults and threats strung out over a week totalled 11.

On March 30, Pastor Maddira Kotireddy was left in a critical condition after he lost several fingers in an attack with an axe.