In India, municipal authorities demolished a Protestant church before a court ruling

In the Indian city of Pimpri-Chinchwad, municipal authorities carried out the forced demolition of the “Jesus Is Lord” Protestant church building without waiting for a court ruling. The incident occurred on the night of September 7, 2026, in the Kalevadi district, according to the Christian Daily.

According to reports, approximately 1,000 police officers cordoned off the church grounds after midnight, after which heavy machinery completely demolished the building within three hours. Worshipers were given only 30 minutes to leave the premises, which resulted in damage to the congregation’s valuable property. The demolition was carried out despite the fact that a hearing on the believers’ petition to suspend the work was scheduled for that same day.

As an official justification, the authorities cited the fact that the property allegedly lies within the “blue line”—an area at risk of flooding from the Pavana River. However, it is noteworthy that neighboring residential buildings and a gas station were not slated for demolition. Representatives of the church, which has held services at this site for 18 years, attribute these events to pressure from radical Hindu organizations that have systematically demanded an end to this congregation’s activities.