A 50-year-old Christian pastor was brutally murdered by Hindutva goons in Bijapur of Chhattisgarh on Thursday days after being threatened for preaching Christianity.
Pastor Yalam Sankar, was murdered, last Thursday, in Angampalli village, by five men who broke into his house at night. He was dragged outside before being stabbed to death, reported International Christian Concern (ICC), an NGO whose concern is the human rights of Christians and religious minorities across the globe.
According to local Christians, the pastor had been warned by Hindutva goons against preaching his religion and had been threatened with his life.
A senior pastor of Bastar for Christ Movement (BMC) Church in Angampalliat, Shankar, was known for defending Christians from Hindu nationalists. He is survived by his wife two sons, and grandchildren.
He was also a former sarpanch of the village and a very influential person.
“The Christians in this area have been facing intense opposition from the radical Hindu nationalists. Several times Pastor Shankar defended Christians from radical Hindu nationalists, and that could be the reason for this extreme form of persecution of killing,” a local Christian told the ICC.
Minorities have been facing severe persecution following hate speeches of Hindutva groups and politicians.
