Thangeda, a quiet village in Dachepalli Mandal of Palnadu District in Andhra Pradesh, witnessed communal tensions on late July 14 after a mob of around 200 individuals, reportedly Christians from the same and surrounding villages, allegedly attacked and threatened local Hindu residents who had earlier objected to aggressive evangelical attempts by a newly appointed pastor of the region.
According to local sources, tensions began on July 14, around 9 AM, when a newly appointed Christian pastor began visiting homes in Thangeda village, reportedly engaging in door-to-door proselytisation under the pretext of prayer meetings.
Several local Hindus objected, including Kasarla Narasimha Reddy and Jagadeesh, who requested the pastor not to disturb Hindu households. The pastor left the village after a brief verbal exchange.
However, around 9:30 PM that night, a mob of approximately 200 individuals—reportedly local Christians—allegedly assembled in retaliation and targeted the homes of villagers who had earlier opposed the proselytization. They marched to Narasimha Reddy’s residence and he was subjected to verbal abuse, caste-based slurs, and death threats for allegedly “interfering” with their pastor’s religious mission.
The group then moved to the home of Jagadeesh, who was not present. His family members were reportedly threatened. At the time, Jagadeesh was attending a bhajan session at the nearby Shivalayam temple, where around 30–50 devotees were gathered. The mob reached the temple premises but, seeing the large gathering, resorted only to verbal abuse and intimidation before retreating.
Soon after the attack, villagers alerted the police and sought protection. However, in a surprising turn, Christian residents also rushed to the police station and filed a counter-complaint, allegedly to deflect the issue.
On July 15, police called both sides for inquiry. But many Hindu villagers now allege that the police are not being transparent with the proceedings. “We gave our complaint and gave them full details. But since then, we are not being told what action is being taken. It feels like they want to cover this up,” said a youth who was present during the attack.
Several villagers now say this was not an isolated incident, but part of a larger strategy to silence opposition to aggressive religious conversions. “This is not a personal fight. They are using fear to suppress Hindus,” said a resident of village.
Residents are now demanding firm police action against the pastor and those responsible for assembling the mob. They’ve also raised concerns about the long-term implications of unchecked religious aggression in rural Andhra Pradesh.
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