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Jammu: In a disturbing and violent incident, a group of Christian preachers was brutally assaulted by Hindutva goons armed with iron rods and sticks in the Juthana area of Kathua district in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Shockingly, the mob was led by a local BJP leader, Ravinder Singh Thella, and the attack took place in full view of police officers who stood by without intervening.<\/p>\n
According to Kashmir Media Service, the group of preachers, comprising 10 to 15 members of Christian sect, was traveling in a bus when the Hindu attackers, some of whom were masked, smashed the vehicle\u2019s windshield and side-view mirror. Video footage of the assault, which has gone viral on social media, shows the attackers violently confronting the preachers inside the bus. Amid anguished cries, one attacker punches and kicks a passenger in the front seat, while another demands to see other males in the group. Notably, BJP leader Ravinder Singh Thella had earlier attacked a journalist in the Kathua town.<\/p>\n
Reports indicate that the group of preachers had been invited to the area by local residents. However, the mob justified the attack by accusing them of attempting to convert locals to Christianity, a charge often used by Hindu extremists to justify violence against religious minorities. The brutal assault, fueled by deep-rooted religious intolerance, highlights the ongoing persecution faced by Christians, not only in India but also in IIOJK, at the hands of Hindutva groups.<\/p>\n
What is even more disturbing is the inactive stance of the police officers present at the scene. Despite witnessing the violence firsthand, they did nothing to stop the attackers, as captured in the footage. It was only after the incident went viral on the intervening night of October 23-24, showing police personnel watching the attack as mute spectators that authorities filed a First Information Report (FIR) and suspended eight police officers, including a sub-inspector, for their failure to act.<\/p>\n
Kathua Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mohita Sharma said that one of the attackers has been arrested, while a manhunt is underway to apprehend the other perpetrators.<\/p>\n
The assault on these Christian preachers highlights the ongoing challenges faced by religious minorities in India, particularly under the current climate of religious intolerance fostered by Hindutva groups. The failure of law enforcement to protect vulnerable communities during such attacks further underscores the systemic discrimination faced by religious minorities in the country.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Jammu: In a disturbing and violent incident, a group of Christian preachers was brutally assaulted by Hindutva goons armed with iron rods and sticks in the Juthana area of Kathua district in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Shockingly, the mob was led by a local BJP leader, Ravinder Singh Thella, and the attack …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":186452,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-186451","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-indian-occupied-jammu-and-kashmir"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t