Listeners:
Top listeners:
-
play_arrow
Christian Missionaries Attacked In Northern India; Eight Police Officers Suspended
by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
NEW DELHI (Worthy News) – Eight police officers in northern India’s Jammu and Kashmir region have been suspended “for their failure” to stop an attack on Christian missionaries by Hindu nationalists last week, according to Christian human-rights investigators.
A group of about ten people reportedly assaulted a bus carrying missionaries from Kerala as they were leaving following a meal at a home in Juthana village. The village falls under the jurisdiction of the Jakhole police post within the Raj Bagh police station area in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district, Christians said.
A video of the October 23 attack was widely circulated on social media, in which most of the police were seen as bystanders while angry Hindus armed with sticks and sharp weapons stopped and attacked the vehicle.
“As the vehicle stops, they launch a fierce attack. Police personnel stand nearby watching. The attackers smashed the front windshield and a side-view mirror of the bus, which was carrying a group of 10 to 15 Christian preachers,” added International Christian Concern (ICC), an advocacy group studying the footage.
Some of the attackers were seen proceeding to assault passengers inside the vehicle as the policemen watched “the violent spectacle without doing much to stop the attack,” ICC investigators said.
DISCIPLINARY ACTION
Only one police officer was seen trying unsuccessfully to stop an attacker who opened the bus door. Anguished screams, including those of women inside the vehicle, were heard as the passengers were attacked.
“Following this, the Kathua Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mohita Sharma suspended eight police officers, including the Jakhole police post in-charge, for not intervening during the assault,” ICC explained.
In addition to the suspensions, a First Information Report (FIR), necessary for a criminal investigation, was filed against some ten suspects for the assault, Worthy News learned.
Two of the suspects were already known to police for previous offences, according to sources familiar with the case.
“The attackers reportedly claimed the missionaries who came from South India were converting Hindus to Christianity. However, authorities stated that no evidence of forced conversion has been found, and an investigation is ongoing,” ICC said.
VIOLENT INCIDENTS
The latest reported attack is part of numerous violent incidents targeting India’s Christian minority—estimated at around 28 million people (about 2.3 percent of the population), according to human-rights activists.
India currently holds the 11th position on the annual Open Doors World Watch List, which ranks the countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution for their faith.
Jammu and Kashmir—India’s northernmost region, bordering Pakistan and the Himalayas—has been under direct federal administration since 2019, when New Delhi revoked its semi-autonomous status.
The region remains one of the most heavily militarized areas in the world and has witnessed frequent clashes between religious and political groups, adding to tensions affecting Christian and other minority communities.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
European policymakers, church leaders and representatives of Syria’s Christian communities have urged the country’s transitional authorities to protect minority Christians amid concerns over the future of believers in the war-torn Middle East nation.
A reported Houthi attack has struck Saudi Arabia’s strategically vital East-West oil pipeline, the massive cross-country system designed to keep Saudi crude flowing even when the Strait of Hormuz is threatened or closed.
Spanish-Moroccan relations, already strained over migration, faced more pressure Friday after Spain’s lower house of parliament approved legislation that would grant Spanish citizenship to tens of thousands of Sahrawis born when Madrid administered Western Sahara.
Russia launched fresh air attacks on Ukraine early Friday after NATO reportedly confronted Russian vessels trying to sabotage undersea cables, highlighting concerns that Moscow is attempting to extend the war by targeting Europe’s critical infrastructure.
Iran-backed Houthi forces seized Yemen’s strategic Red Sea port city of Mocha, raising fears for global shipping as escalating Middle East tensions pushed oil prices above $100 a barrel.
The United States and its allies are commemorating the 25th anniversary of the worst terror attacks on American soil, which had worldwide implications ranging from wars to increased surveillance.
Several impoverished Christians have died across Pakistan in recent days amid what advocates describe as a pattern of violence, discrimination and hardship potentially threatening the Christian community throughout the predominantly Muslim nation, Christian sources told Worthy News.
WHO WE ARE
The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.
CONTACT
- +1 908 280-4246
- Essex County, USA
- info@tnjrfm.com