Police and local officials refuse to investigate, despite appeals.

by Joshua Newton

AHMEDABAD, India (Compass) -- Hindu extremists who kidnapped the wife of a Christian pastor in Gujarat, India, still hold her captive six weeks after the crime. Local police have refused to make any attempt to find Manulaben Dinana, aged 23, or to question the kidnappers, who were identified by several eyewitnesses.

Manulaben Dinana is the wife of Pastor Dharmesh Ninama, an Assembly of God missionary in Dahod district, Gujarat. Dinana was assaulted and abducted on May 29 while buying vegetables at the local market.

Earlier that day, Ninama had left to preach in the capital city of Ahmedabad. He arrived home two days later to discover that his wife was missing.

When he lodged a panic-stricken complaint with local police authorities, he was told to search for his wife among friends and relatives. This answer came despite the fact that Ninama had several eyewitness accounts from villagers who had seen his wife being abducted from the marketplace.

Witnesses identified 10 men who were involved in the assault and kidnapping. They are part of a local gang reportedly led by Devjibhai Hirabhai Pargi. Villagers explained to Compass that the group is extremely active as members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal, both extremist Hindu organizations. They also have allies in the local legislative assembly.

Eyewitnesses reported that Pargi was drunk and waving a sword at the time of the assault. His men deliberately sought out and assaulted Dinana, snatching at her earrings and gold bracelets. When some of the bystanders protested, the gang forcefully dragged her away from the marketplace.

Ninama himself was assaulted twice by the same group, once in 2002 and again in 2003. He is the first Christian missionary to risk preaching openly in the area. According to one villager, “People watch this strange man curiously and he is known for his Christian faith.”

When police failed to launch an investigation, Ninama and his relatives visited the homes of the assailants, searching for his wife. They finally found her, tied up in a room at the home of one of Pargi’s men, Shankarbhai Hirabhai Maal.

However, before they could rescue Dinana, a mob of about 10 of Pargi’s men savagely attacked and beat Ninama and his party. Most of Ninama’s men eventually escaped, although one of the pastor’s relatives, Dhanjibhai Mahida, was held captive and beaten again. Mahida, now unable to walk, is still undergoing treatment.

By the time the police arrived, the kidnappers had fled the scene with Dinana.

“Three policemen arrived at the scene about an hour too late,” Ninama told Compass. “I begged with the police to search the neighborhood. But they refused and went back without carrying out any search operation.”

Ninama returned to the police station on the following day to seek further help. In Ninama’s presence, Chief Inspector Gohil Shankar rang the kidnappers and asked them to release Dinana. The pastor was told his wife would be returned “soon.”

However, to date no further action has been taken. Ninama has visited the police station regularly for the past 40 days pleading for help, to no avail.

Samson Christian, joint secretary of the All India Christian Council (AICC) in northwest India, is disgusted by the way this case has been handled. “Can you believe this?” he said. “A woman kidnapped on May 29 has not still been saved by the police. While all of us, including the police, know who the kidnappers are.”

AICC members appealed to state authorities. As a result, the Fatehpura police officials finally registered a First Information Report (FIR No. 94.04) on June 12, adding charges of abduction and rape against the accused.

Nevertheless, “half-hearted attempts by the police to save the poor woman will bring no results,” Samson Christian pointed out.

The AICC have launched a campaign to find Dinana, lobbying the Gujarat Director General of Police, the State Human Rights Commission and State Women’s Commission. However, to date all three groups have ignored appeals made on Dinana’s behalf. The AICC believes this is at least partly due to the fact that Dinana is a Christian living in a state still controlled by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party.