Pastor John Lakra was taking his 18-month-old baby to the hospital for emergency treatment in Odisha state in late October, when hundreds of Hindu extremists surrounded his car.
A mob began hurling stones and hitting the windows with rods as they shouted curses at him. Earlier he had received word that Hindu extremists were looking for him regarding a text message and photo insulting the Hindu goddess Durga that a hacker had sent from his phone. He thought they only meant to talk with him.
He was pulled out of the car, slapped and beaten. After throwing him onto the road and kicking him, they picked him up and forced him onto a motorcycle. With hundreds following, they took him to a Durga idol and forced him to kneel before it even as they continued beating him.
