India: Pastor beaten by police

As reported by International Christian Concern on 24 April 2022, a pastor was beaten repeatedly over a period of nearly 24 hours by police before being released unable to walk. He had been arrested on 23 April 2022 accused of alleged conversion activities in Uttar Pradesh. According to the pastor, the police officers beating him with belts and sticks were trying to force him to say out loud: 'Jai Sriram' (a Hindu expression for "˜Glory to Lord Rama"). World Watch Research analyst Rolf Zeegers states that the police are known to treat religious minorities badly in Uttar Pradesh (where the state government is led by BJP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath): "Instead of being neutral, the police clearly side with radical Hindu elements who attack religious minorities with impunity. They go so far as to torture people who are accused of conversion without first checking to see if the accusation is correct. Since no action is being undertaken to prevent such abuses of justice, it would seem that Christians will continue facing difficult times in Uttar Pradesh for the foreseeable future."