
Members of far-right Hindu group attack Easter service in India with sticks
An Easter prayer service in the Indian city of Ahmedabad was disrupted on Sunday by members of two far-right Hindu groups who accused attendees of engaging in religious conversions.
Eyewitness footage shared on social media showed activists from the Bajrang Dal and the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) entering a private prayer meeting in the Odhav area of the city, wielding sticks and shouting slogans such as 'Jai Shree Ram' (Glory to Lord Ram) and 'Har Har Mahadev' (Hail Lord Shiva).
The groups are known for their links to Hindutva, a hardline nationalist ideology that promotes Hindu supremacy. They are also loosely affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of prime minister Narendra Modi 's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and have long campaigned against Christian and Muslim religious conversions.
While there were no reports of injuries, the incident has added to growing concerns over the increasing frequency of religiously motivated intimidation and violence in India.
Inspector Pratik Zinzuvadia of the Odhav police confirmed that the incident occurred during a Christian congregation at a residential hall in Vimalpark Society, attended by around 100 people marking Easter Sunday.
According to police, the intruders confronted attendees – many of whom were women – and demanded to know their religion, accusing organisers of conducting illegal conversions of Hindus to Christianity.
The situation was brought under control after police were called to the scene. Both parties were taken to the local police station, where they submitted written complaints. Darshan Joshi, a local representative of Bajrang Dal, filed a statement requesting an investigation into 'religious conversion', reported the Indian Express.
However, Inspector Zinzuvadia confirmed that officers found no indication of conversion activity during their preliminary assessment.
Emanuel Amaydas, a member of the Christian community present at the gathering, filed a counter-complaint accusing 10 to 15 unidentified individuals of storming the venue and causing disruption.
Police said they were examining the complaints and that no formal charges had been filed as of Sunday evening. "We have taken complaints from both sides and begun an inquiry into the case," Inspector Zinzuvadia said.
Jvalit Mehta, a regional coordinator of Bajrang Dal, later told the Times of India the activists had entered Christian gatherings in both Odhav and Nikol neighbourhoods based on what he described as 'information that conversion activities were going on'.
Under Indian law, forced religious conversion is illegal in several states, though laws are often vaguely defined and critics say they are frequently misused to target minority communities.
In 2024, attacks on Christians rose to 834 incidents, up from 734 the previous year, according to data from the United Christian Forum.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Western Telegraph
4 minutes ago
- Western Telegraph
Irish premier and president offer condolences after India plane crash
Air India said the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft was leaving Ahmedabad Airport with 242 people on board. The airline said 169 passengers were Indian nationals, 53 were British, seven were Portuguese and one was Canadian. Taoiseach Micheal Martin said: 'It is horrific and very, very sad what has happened in India, the plane (crash) just shortly after departure, I believe less than a minute.' He added: 'Our thoughts and our prayers are with the families of those bereaved, crew members bereaved, and with the people of India, Britain and Canada. The world is a much closer place, we all travel. My thoughts and prayers are with the people of India after the terrible plane crash in Ahmedabad earlier today. Thinking of the families of all those on board, along with the emergency services attending the scene. — Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) June 12, 2025 'It is extremely sad and shocking that an accident of this scale has occurred with the loss of so much life.' He noted that it took place close to the 40th anniversary of the Air India flight 182 disaster, in which the plane crashed off the coast of Ireland on June 23 1985 as a result of a terrorist attack. 'All of us who experienced that had a sense of trauma that people go through when crashes of this kind happen,' he said. Irish deputy premier and minister for foreign affairs Simon Harris also extended his sympathy 'to all of those caught up' in the 'very tragic and horrific' crash. 'We think of all of them and their families in what is an evolving story, with no doubt, more information to come,' he told the Irish parliament. Irish President Michael D Higgins said: 'May I express my deepest condolences to the families and communities of all those who have lost their lives in today's tragic airplane crash in the city of Ahmedabad, India. 'All of our thoughts are with those who are grieving those lost, be it passengers or those in the vicinity of the crash, as well as the emergency workers at the scene. 'As president, I extend the condolences of the Irish people to the president of India, HE Droupadi Murmu, His Majesty King Charles, and to the citizens and heads of state of all those countries who have been impacted by this tragic event.'


Metro
30 minutes ago
- Metro
The deadliest plane crashes in UK aviation history
An Air India plane carrying 242 people bound for London has crashed near Ahmedabad airport shortly after taking off. On board the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner were 53 British, 169 Indian, seven Portuguese and one Canadian nationals. Fire and thick black smoke was seen shortly after the aricraft went down near student accommodation at a nearby medical university at 1.39pm local time. Follow Metro's blog for live coverage and updates from the Air India crash Crashes like this are rare – but when they happen, the consequences are catastrophic. Below, we look back at some of the worst air disasters in UK aviation history. Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over Dumfries and Galloway while cruising at 31,000 feet on December 21, 1988, crashing onto the town of Lockerbie. All 259 people on board and 11 people on the ground were killed when the Boeing 747, flying from Heathrow to New York, was bombed. The explosion tore a 20-inch hole in the fuselage, causing the aircraft to disintegrate instantly. Among the vitims were 35 American students flying home for Christmas and the crash remains the deadliest terrorist attack on UK soil. A joint investigation by Scottish police and the FBI concluded the bombing was carried out by Libyan Intelligence Services in revenge for the 1986 US bombing of Tripoli. Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was later convicted for placing the bomb in a suitcase disguised with clothing and an umbrella. A British European Airways Trident crashed shortly after takeoff from Heathrow en route to Brussels on June 18, 1972, killing all 118 people on board. Three minutes into the flight, the plane entered a deep stall. Investigators found that the crew had failed to maintain sufficient speed and did not properly deploy the aircraft's high-lift devices. The cockpit voice recorder captured an argument between the captain and co-pilot moments before the crash. Weather conditions were also poor, with turbulence, strong crosswinds, heavy rain and low cloud. A Canadair C-4 Argonaut operated by British Midland Airways crashed near the centre of Stockport on June 4, 1967, killing 72 of the 84 people on board. The aircraft was returning from Palma de Mallorca and came down just a few miles short of its destination, Manchester Airport. Two of its four engines failed due to fuel starvation caused by a design flaw in the fuel system. Investigators also cited pilot fatigue as a contributing factor, noting that the flight crew were likely operating under significant exhaustion at the time of the crash. On August 22, 1985, a British Airtours Boeing 737-236 bound for Corfu aborted takeoff at Manchester Airport after control staff warned one of its engines was on fire. Passengers started evacuating, but the fire spread rapidly. All deaths were caused by the inhalation of toxic smoke. Most of their bodies were found near the overwing exit. Fifty-five of the 137 people on board were killed. The disaster led to sweeping aviation reforms, including fire-resistant seat materials, improved cabin wall and ceiling panels, floor lighting for evacuation, better on-board extinguishers, and revised emergency procedures. On January 5, 1969, an Ariana Afghan Airlines flight from Kabul crashed into a house during its final approach to Gatwick Airport, killing 50 people – 48 on board and two on the ground The aircraft descended too quickly after a flap adjustment caused the nose to pitch downward. By the time the flight crew recognised the error, it was too late to recover. The plane struck the home of William and Ann Jones, who died in the crash – but their baby miraculously survived. Fourteen people on the flight, including the captain, first officer and flight engineer, also lived. On January 8, 1989, British Midland Flight 92 from Belfast to Heathrow crashed short of the runway at East Midlands Airport during an attempted emergency landing, killing 47 of the 126 people on board. The Boeing 737 had been cruising at 35,000 feet when a fan blade on the left engine fractured due to metal fatigue. The crew mistakenly shut down the working engine, and moments before impact a final announcement instructed passengers to 'prepare for crash landing.' The plane struck the ground, bounced over the M1, and tore through trees and a lamppost. Investigators found that the aircraft's new engines had been tested only in labs, not under real-flight conditions. Both pilots were seriously injured and later dismissed by the airline amid criticism of cockpit decision-making. An Iberia Airlines flight from Malaga to Heathrow flew into the southern slope of Blackdown Hill in West Sussex on November 4, 1967. More Trending The plane was on approach to Heathrow when it clipped trees before skidding across a field and killing 88 grazing sheep. Investigators could not find out why the plane did not stick to its assigned flight level and audio recordings showed no evidence of any failure in the aircraft. A theory remains that the flight crew misread their altitude meter, which warns pilots when the altitude falls below 10,000 feet. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: British man who was sat at front of plane believed to be the only survivor of Air India crash MORE: Boeing plane safety: Should you be worried about flying on its aircraft? MORE: Everything we know about the Ahmedabad to London Air India AI171 plane crash


Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Where is The Orkney Assassin Michael Ross now?
The schoolboy murderer is behind bars but pleads innocence three decades on SENSELESS MURDER Where is The Orkney Assassin Michael Ross now? THE Orkney Assassin, Michael Ross, was just 15 years old when he murdered waiter Shamsuddin Mahmood. On June 2 1994, Ross shot the waiter while he served customers in an Indian restaurant in Orkney, an island located off the northern coast of Scotland. 2 The waiter was murdered at an Indian restaurant in front of terrified diners Credit: PA:Press Association Where is Michael Ross now? Michael Ross, born on 28 August 1978, was found guilty of the murder in 2008 and is serving a life sentence in HMP Shotts in Lanarkshire, with a minimum of 25 years. Ross was originally questioned by police six months after the murder of the 26-year-old waiter, but prosecutors ruled there was not enough evidence to charge the teenager. In the following summer, Ross left the island of Orkney, where he was born, and 17 joined the Scottish regiment. From there, he progressed through the ranks and became a decorated Black Watch sniper after serving a tour of duty in Iraq. Read More on Michael Ross ISLAND OF FEAR How bombshell letter cracked 'hitman' killing that rocked sleepy UK island But on June 20 2008, he was brought to justice in the High Court in Glasgow. 2 Michael Ross, accused of murder, arriving at Glasgow High Court. Credit: PA:Press Association During his guilty verdict, Ross, dramatically tried to flee by jumping out of the dock and knocking over the security guard. Now 47 years old, Ross has tried to escape HMP Shotts, one of Scotland's highest security prisons, three times, including an attempt to scale the fence in 2018. As a result, he was sentenced to two years in prison to run alongside his life term of which he has served 17 years so far. What happened to Shamsuddin Mahmood? The murder of Shamsuddin Mahmood took place on June 2, 1994 when he was fatally shot after a man wearing a balaclava entered Mumataz Restaurant in Kirkwall at around 7.10pm and exited the premises shortly after. Shamsuddin had arrived in Orkney only six weeks before and had plans to return to Bangladesh to marry his fiancée. Shamsuddin's murder was the first to take place on the island in 25 years and during the original investigation, 2,736 statements were taken. Ross' mother Moira, recounted the time Michael came home from the police station when he was 16 years old. She went upstairs and asked whether he had shot Shamsuddin six months before, which he denied. During the investigation, Edmund Ross' career as a police officer ended after he lied about the fact that he owned identical bullets to those used in the murder weapon. Edmund Ross was subsequently jailed for four years in 1997 for perverting the course of justice. It is reported that Michael Ross' earliest possible release is in 2035. How to watch The Orkney Assassin: Murder In The Isles Amazon Prime Video has released a special titled The Orkney Assassin: Murder In The Isles, providing insight from law enforcement officers, eyewitnesses, journalists, and also interviews with Ross' parents, who maintain his innocence. The first episode aired on Sunday, June 8 2025.