Hindu extremist attacks pastor in Karnataka, attempts to burn him alive

In a shocking incident, a mob led by Hindu fundamentalists attacked a pastor in Karnataka and attempted to set him on fire.

The incident took place, June 8, when a Hindu mob stormed the house of Pastor Laxmi Narayan Gowda and cornering the pastor in a small room, began thrashing him profusely.

Pastor Gowda has been working in Hesargetta for at least twelve years. He has planted several churches, is married and has two children.

On June 8, about 45–50 people confronted the pastor threatening him with dire consequences unless he left the city immediately. However, when the pastor refused, the mob returned with about 300 people and shouting anti–Christian slogans, began beating up the pastor.

According to media reports, the mob, led by supporters of the Hindu extremist outfit Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP or World Hindu Council) and its youth–wing Bajrang Dal, also damaged church equipments and burned several Bibles.

An eye–witness recalled that someone in the mob also doused the pastor with kerosene and threw a burning Bible at him, attempting to set him on fire. However, miraculously, he did not catch fire.

"I still do not know why I did not catch on fire even though I was drenched with Kerosene," the pastor recalled.

The mob also stripped the pastor and tying a board on his chest which read, "I am the one who converts people," they paraded him through the city for more than an hour.

Finally, the pastor managed to escape from his ordeal when a relative called the police who promptly reached the spot and rescued him.

Burnt and badly bruised, the pastor was later taken to the Baptist Hospital in the city for treatment.

"Nothing can stop me. I have a long way to go and I will continue to do this noble work of ministry," he said, adding that he has forgiven his attackers and will not register any complaint against them.

Prior to his conversion, Pastor Gowda was a member of the Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). According to a source, "the attackers seemingly wanted to punish him for his for converting to Christianity from their Hindu nationalistic ideology, and warn others against doing so."