St Thomas Church, Hyderabad, India. (Photo: Getty/iStock)
Christians are continuing to suffer for their faith in India, with hundreds of instances of discrimination recorded in a new study.
The Religious Liberty Commission of the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFIRLC) has brought to light 334 confirmed incidents of violence, harassment, and discrimination against Christians in India during the first seven months of 2025.
Its new report is based on verified data from victim testimonies, media reports, police records, and field investigations.
It warns of a “systematic effort to suppress Christian religious expression” in various parts of the country.
Incidents have been documented in 22 states and union territories according to the Kashmir Media Service, pointing to a nationwide trend.
According to EFIRLC’s findings, the majority of these attacks have occurred in states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of incidents (95), followed closely by Chhattisgarh with 86 cases. Together, these two states account for over half of all reported cases so far this year.
These regions “emerged repeatedly as primary hot spots where Christian families face not only immediate violence but prolonged legal harassment under anti-conversion laws,” the report noted.
“The misuse of these laws has become a primary weapon of intimidation, with threats, harassment, and false accusations representing two-thirds of all incidents documented during this period.”
Other states with significant case numbers include Madhya Pradesh (22), Bihar and Karnataka (17 each), and Rajasthan and Haryana (15 each).
The report notes that hostility toward Christians is not isolated to a few regions but reflects a growing national concern.
One of the most distressing aspects of the report is the recorded denial of burial rights.
Thirteen such cases were verified, with a staggering 92% of them transpiring in Chhattisgarh.
According to the report, Christian families were barred from burying their dead even on private land, in clear violation of religious freedom.
Further analysis shows that many attacks are timed to disrupt Sunday worship services and prayer meetings, indicating intentional targeting of Christian religious gatherings.
The EFIRLC cautioned that the 334 verified incidents likely underrepresent the actual scale of the issue, noting that many victims are too afraid to come forward due to threats, community pressure, and lack of legal access.
These cases are “a coordinated effort to suppress Christian religious expression through both legal mechanisms and social pressure,” the report emphasised, “creating a climate of fear that extends far beyond the immediate victims to entire communities.”
Last December, the United Christian Forum reported that the persecution of Christians in India had hit a record high with 745 incidents reported through November 2024.
India is number 11 on the Open Doors World Watch List, which ranks the countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution.
Report reveals alarming surge in anti-Christian attacks across India in 2025
