| STAMPEDE AT HINDU TEMPLE LEAVES 150+ PILGRIMS DEAD
More than 150 pilgrims, mostly women and children, lost their lives in a stampede near the Nain Devi temple in Himachal Pradesh, India, following rumors of a landslide.
The rumors caused a commotion which started the stampede. Pilgrims pushed their way down the hill, crowding people against an iron railing along the steep 4-km road to the temple. The iron railing collapsed, causing people to roll down the steep slope to their deaths. Heavy rains made the way slippery, causing even more to fall.
Hundreds of others were severely injured, and the death toll is expected to mount. Eyewitnesses said that the screams, howls and cries for help from women and children filled the air.
About 20,000-25,000 were visiting the temple for a religious festival, instead of the usual 15,000.
With the heavy rains and large crowds, the police were having a hard time controlling the people anyway. When the landslide rumors got started, the whole situation got out of hand.
The rumors may have started after the heavy rains caused 8-10 large stones from a retaining wall to fall. In reality, there was no danger from a landslide, but once the rumor got started and a few people panicked, the panic quickly spread, like a match to dry underbrush.
Stampedes at temples and religious gatherings are not uncommon in India, especially where thousands of people are gathered during religious festivals and pilgrimages. In Maharashtra, nearly 265 people were killed in a stampede in 2005.
PRAY FOR INDIA
August 1st, 2008
Dear Praying Friend,
I ask you to urgently pray that God bring order out of a chaotic religious and political situation that erupted in India this week in the cities of Bangalore and Ahmedabad. In Ahmedabad, 18 bombings took place, killing 56 people. In Bangalore, 13 bombings took the lives of 9. The radical Islamic group, Al-Mujahadeen, took credit. Security is very high, and people are afraid at what will happen next.
Radical Islamic and radical Hindu groups have intense hatred for one another, for offenses going back for centuries. In their never-ending feuds, many innocent people have lost their lives.
Because of the terrorism, public gatherings and meetings have become highly restricted.
I left for India on Wednesday night. So far, these events have not affected my schedule. However, my two sisters and niece were at one of the sites in Bangalore a few hours before the bombings took place When the bombs went off they had only traveled 1 ˝ miles from the site. Fortunately, they were not hurt.
Radical Islamists are threatening to bomb 100 cities on August 15, the anniversary of Indian independence, which would cause great destruction and death. People are afraid, not knowing where doom will strike next.
Pray for our safety at IBC and ministry as I travel in various parts of India, that the gospel message will go forward and God will use this time to bring people to Himself. Pray for all the families who have been affected by the bombings and for those who live in fear at what has happened and what may happen. Pray that even the terrorists will find Jesus Christ. Pray that God will cause peace to prevail and stop Satan’s plans to bring disorder and death.
In His Name,
Valson Abraham
ORISSA CHRISTIANS ATTACKED
IN CHRISTMAS RAIDS
Between December 22, 2007 and January 1, 2008, over 800 homes of Christians and 74 churches were burned and destroyed by radical Hindu groups in Khondamal (formerly Phulbani) district in the Indian state of Orissa. The attacks took place about 200 km from Bhubaneshwar. Since many churches and homes were attacked simultaneously, they were obviously well-organized and coordinated, designed to cause the most distress to the most people. In many cases, the police offered no protection and seemed to support the persecutors.
On December 24th, while Christians were putting up Christmas decorations, radical Hindus came, beat up the Christians and destroyed everything. At least eight people were killed by police as well as mobs. The attacks took place against Pentecostal, Baptist and Catholic Christians. Hundreds of people are still missing after 3,000 people fled to nearby forest and stayed in the forest for at least five days in cold weather without food. The missing also includes children. The number of dead is not yet fully known.
On December 25, Christians went to the service in one location. 500 radicals came and destroyed the church that was decorated for Christmas. They came with guns, spears and axes and traditional weapons. After destroying the manger scene, they forced the Christians to chant “Jai shri Ram” (Victory to Lord Rama).
In the town of Barakhama, 4,500 Christians have been badly affected in the violence. People are suffering from diarrhea and other ailments. We still do not have a clear idea how many people have died from police collaborators and mob violence in Khondamal district.
Within hours of first incident, simultaneous violence erupted in other places. Much of this violence took place in front of police officers who did nothing to intervene. Upper caste Hindus resent Dalit Christians for showing independence from the Hindu way of life and seeking to better their lives.
The biggest recorded case of burnings came in Brahminigaon. Besides churches, radicals burned schools, medical centers and clinics run by Christians.
More than 3,000 Christians still live in refugee camps eating rice, living in the cold with no toilets, clean water, little medical care and no blankets.
The radical Hindu government of Orissa has not allowed any church officials or journalists to enter the places struck.
India Gospel Outreach has about 200 missionaries and graduates in the state of Orissa. In recent years, they have experienced greater openness to the gospel from the people, no doubt a major reason for the attacks. Orissa has some of India’s strongest anti-conversion laws.
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