Christians Arrested for Operating Boys' Hostel in India

Compass Direct News reports that Karnataka police accompanied by 10 Hindu extremists on Friday (Aug. 28) arrested a Christian operator of a boys' hostel. They accused the owner and another Christian of offering food, shelter, education and future job prospects to the children as an "allurement" to convert to Christianity. After Hanuma Naik's release on bail the next day, he dismissed the allegations as fabricated, saying that parents of the 42 students voluntarily sent their children, ages 6 to 19, to the hostel. The parents also had prior knowledge that Christian teachings are part of the program at the church-run hostel. The two Christians had promised the boys' parents that they would take care of all the children's needs for food, clothing and education - a potentially criminal activity under "anti-conversion" laws in force in some states, but not in Karnataka.