Young Christian convert thrown off a train
dies Nirmala Carvalho
For police it is a case of suicide but for others
it is a another example of religious persecution.
The 18-year-old succumbs to his injuries after
three days of intense pain. Bajrang Dal extremists
are suspected.
Mumbai (AsiaNews) – A Hindu
convert to Christianity died this afternoon
after three days of intense pain following an
incident in which he was thrown off a train
last Tuesday under still unclear circumstances.
The incident occurred in Devas district, in
the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh,
but for police it was a simple case of suicide.
Too many factors lead however to believe that
his death was but the latest example of religious
persecution by Hindu extremists.
Bansi Lal, just 18, was on his way back from
a meeting of the Pentecostal community, when
unidentified persons threw him off the train.
Rushed to a hospital the medical staff tried
everything to save him,
but his injuries were too severe—stones
were even embedded in his skull.
Bansi Lal did not make it and died without being
able to give his version of the events. And
so police closed the book and concluded that
it was a case of "suicide".
Madhya Pradesh has seen many other incidents
of persecution against Christians, said Indira
Iyengar, chairwoman of the Madhya Pradesh- Chattisgarh
Christian Forum.
Suspicions point in the direction of activists
from the Bajrang Dal, an organisation that is
quite active in the area.
The Bajrang Dal (Bajrang Brigade) is the youth
wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), which
gravitate around the Sangh Parivar, a family
of organisations inspired by Hindutva, or Hindu
nationalism. Their fight is, among other things,
for the preservation of India's Hindu identity.
"After a lull, Bajrang Dal activists have
increased their attacks against Christians in
the state, especially at Christmas time,"
Indira Iyengar said.
The young man who was killed had converted to
Christianity two and half years ago and had
been threatened ever since. Even his family
did not approve of his decision.
Given the current climate in the country, Christian
leaders have preferred to take a low profile
and said nothing about the incident concerned
that whatever they say might lead to further
violence and retaliation against local Christians.
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