From ICC - India

Young Preacher Brutalized by Radicals in Orissa
Global Council of Indian Christians

4/3/07
India
(Persecution Update India) – Here is another brutal torture story of a young independent Preacher called Basanta Nayak (aged 21), son of Sri Senapati Nayak of Village-Sujeli, P.S:-G. Udayagiri of Phulbani District who was attacked by radical Hindus.

10 to 12 Hindu radicals of Sangh Parivar on 28th March, 07 hit Preacher with punches and tried to strangulate by choking him with a towel up to a stage that he became unconscious and senseless. The tormentors thought him dead. They pulled his body down to a Jungle and threw him there. The attackers came back to their village as if nothing happened.

On March 27th after the meeting a group of people approached him to accompany for prayers. They took him to a place in front of a Hindu Ashram (MATHO Hindu-seminary) where a few others were really waiting to kill this young preacher.

Devilish fowlers, a group of around 12, snared him & started all kind of tortures on him uttering blasphemous slogans against Jesus Christ. The radicals tried all methods to force him not only to deny and reject Christ but also to take oath not to preach Christ. The radicals tightened his neck with a Towel and hit him. They have also rained heavy punches after punches on his face and demanded him to forsake Christ.

Basanta Nayak continued to declare that he can never forsake Jesus Christ and repeatedly declared that he will serve the only living God.

His bold statement infuriated the attackers and created more anger among the tormentors. They became mad and increased physical attacks till Basanta started bleeding profusely from his nose & ears & he couldn’t bear the pain of atrocities on him anymore, and fainted. The attackers thought that he is dead and they dragged him on the stony forest road and threw his body into a dense forest.

God protected his body from the forest animals. He woke him up after some hours the exact time unknown to him when he felt to pray to God. While he was praying, he could see Jesus revealing and comforting him with these verses: Jeremiah 1:19, 18:4, John 14:6, Psalms 46:1. He immediately regained strength and courage to stand on his leg.

In the same night God helped him to return his house safely. Of course, he was unable to talk and open his eyes properly due to acute pain and swelling on his face. His house mates took him to the local G. Udayagiri Police Station hospital where he was referred to the Berhampur medical college hospital. Then his house mates prepared the F.I.R., got it signed by him & took him to Berhampur Hospital on 29.03.07. There he got treated up till 30.03.07 and then was shifted to Cuttack private Nursing Home. Now he is under their treatment & care.

Head scanning, X-rays are over. The reports by the grace of God are normal as on date.