Arasikere, Hassan (Karnataka): 17-10-11 - Pastor Sunder Raj, (60) has been serving the Lord at Arasikere in Hassan District of Karnataka, during the last 25 years. He purchased a piece of land measuring about 8 guntas, nearly quarter of an acre, and built a small house and a church called St. Thomas Church, an independent church. He has a congregation of about 75 believers, and he lives with his wife, Mrs. Padmavathi (50), and two children, a boy and a girl.

In 2004, the Arasikere Municipality pressurized by the Sangh Parivar activists, demolished the church, alleging that the church was an unauthorized construction, and then the Sangh Parivar activists forcibly built a temple on the same spot. The police also refused to entertain any complaints by the pastor regarding that incident. As the only way left for the pastor was to approach the court of law, he approached the court at Arasikere, and fought the case for more than two years, but unfortunately lost it in 2006. He then appealed to the District Sessions Court at Hassan against the Arasikere court decision.  read more »