FALLS CHURCH (ABP) — At least six people have died in clashes between Christians and Hindus in the Indian state of Orissa, Reuters reported Aug. 27.
However, accounts coming into the Baptist World Alliance claim the death toll in ongoing violence triggered by the death of a Hindu leader has reached at least 25.
The BWA also reported Aug. 26 that, in the region, more than 600 churches have been demolished and about 4,000 Christians have been forced to flee from their villages.
Hindu leader Laxmananda Saraswati and four associates others were killed in an attack Aug. 23. Police have said the attackers were Maoist insurgents, but some Hindus in the area blamed Christians.
According to the BWA, the insurgents claimed responsibility for the attack. But that claim has not stopped Hindu fundamentalists from retaliating against Christians in the area.
Orissa, which lies along the Bay of Bengal in eastern India, is overwhelmingly Hindu, but also is home to one of the largest Baptist communities in Asia. In the state, several Baptist conventions and unions affiliated with the BWA claim nearly 500,000 baptized believers and approximately 3,500 churches.