Missionaries assaulted, arrested in Gujarat

Several missionaries of the Indian Missionary Society were assaulted by a group of people in Divya village near Bari in the state of Gujarat, evoking strong protests from the Christian community.

The missionaries, including Rev. A. Arul Daniel, his wife, Mrs. Jasmine, two other evangelists and their families had gone to the village on September 20, 2006, to conduct a special thanksgiving prayer meeting in a believer's house upon invitation. On their way back, the missionaries were assaulted and the attackers robbed them of their belongings before fleeing away.

"After the attackers fled the scene, they lodged an F.I.R. against the missionaries, falsely accusing the Christians of having used weapons and having assaulted them," said Rev. Richard Howell, general secretary, Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI).

The EFI has urged Christians worldwide to pray for the arrested missionaries so that justice is meted and they are released as soon as possible.