By International Christian Concern
7/23/2025 India (International Christian Concern) — For years, Vikram, his wife, and their five children faithfully followed Jesus in their Hindu-majority village in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. Then, suddenly, on June 16, their faith was challenged.
Village leaders confronted Vikram and told him that his family had to convert to Hinduism, or they would be banned from the village. When Vikram said that his family would not leave Christ, the leaders quickly called for a public gathering.
During the meeting, one of the leaders said that Vikram’s family members were Christians and officially declared that his family would be expelled from the village since they would not convert to Hinduism.
Soon, a mob formed. The angry villagers stormed Vikram’s home and threw his family’s food and other belongings into the road. Some villagers abused the couple’s three daughters. As in similar attacks that occur throughout India and increasingly in Chhattisgarh, the aim of the destruction and violence was to pressure the family to convert to Hinduism through a ceremony called “Ghar Wapsi,” which means “homecoming.” From the federal government down, there is a large push for India to become a Hindu-only nation.
“This is not the first time they’ve been attacked,” a local Christian leader familiar with the situation said. “This is the fifth village meeting held to pressure the family into Ghar Wapsi.”
The next day, Vikram visited the local police station to report the attack. Officers visited his village and advised the villagers to allow the family to return to their home. The villagers refused, declaring that the family would not be welcomed back unless they renounced Christianity. Police have taken no further action.
Vikram’s family initially built a temporary shelter in a forest a few miles from their village. After hearing the family’s story, International Christian Concern (ICC) staffers provided food, clothing, and short-term housing.
This story was originally published in persecution.org. Read the full story here.