India: Christian youth dies after acid attack by suspected Hindu nationalists

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – A 16-year-old Christian youth has died after being burned in an acid attack by suspected Hindu nationalists in India’s Bihar state, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports. Nitish Kumar died on September 26, forty-six days after unknown criminals on a motorbike poured acid on him from behind; no one has been arrested.

Nitish and his family became Christians two years ago after being delivered from an evil spirit, ICC said. Nitish and his brother, Sanjith were active in their church and conducted prayer meetings. His family reported that Nitish had been threatened by radical Hindu nationalists who had demanded his renounce his faith: although the police have not arrested anyone, local Christians have reported they believe Nitish was attacked by Hindu radicals.

On the day of the attack, Nitish was walking to the village market in the Gaya District when the acid was thrown on him, ICC said. He was taken to Apollo Hospital in Patna, Bihar’s state capital, where doctors said he suffered burns on 60% of his body.

A pastor who helped the family told ICC: “The doctors have tried every possible way to revive Nitish. Every alternative day, the doctors gave one unit of blood and had regular dressing changed on almost the entire body. We hoped that he would bounce back to life, but we know God has His way and time.”

Persecution against Christians at the hands of Hindu extremists has increased greatly since the Hindu Bharatiya Janata nationalist party took power in 2014; an increasing number of states have enacted anti-conversion laws which Hindus frequently abuse to harass and attack Christians. Local believers repeatedly report inaction by authorities in dealing with the crimes perpetrated against them on account of their faith in Christ. India ranks 10 on the US Open Doors Watch List of countries where Christians are persecuted.

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