Twelve people have been sentenced to six years' imprisonment for their involvement in the violence in Orissa's Kandhamal district in 2008.

On 20 November 2012, Hindu extremists demolished and burned a church building in a Karnataka village, and threatened to kill the members.

Blessing Youth Mission Pentecostal church in Chippagiri Gowtown village, Yellapura, Karwar District, was built about fifteen years ago. It has 30 members, mostly labourers and daily wage earners, and the pastor is Rev Suresh Kaithan Siddi (40). He is married to Maria (35), and they have two sons.

Hindu extremists beat a pastor, left him unconscious by the side of the road, then attacked him in his hospital bed the next day.

The blasphemy case against Rimsha Masih was dropped on 20 November, and the Muslim cleric who allegedly framed her will be tried for making a false accusation.

Shamimi Bibi (pictured with her one-year-old baby daughter) was released from prison on bail on Sunday 4 November after being held in prison since February, when she was arrested under the blasphemy law.

On Monday 24 September a judge ordered police to refer Rimsha Masih's case to a juvenile court, as a medical report that said she was 14. This followed a court appearance on Saturday 22 September, when police told the court that Rimsha was not guilty. At that hearing, the case was adjourned until 24 September.

Rimsha Masih, the young Christian girl accused of blasphemy, was released from prison on Saturday 8 September, taken by armoured vehicle to a helicopter and flown to safety.

Young Rimsha Masih continues to be held in prison on blasphemy charges as Judge Muhammad Azam Khan adjourned her bail application today, 3 September, for a fourth time.

There was another disappointment for young Rimsha Masih and her lawyers earlier today (1 September) when a judge in Islamabad again deferred ruling on her bail application - due to a technicality. Another hearing has been scheduled for Monday 3 September. Rimsha has been in prison since 17 August since she was arrested on blasphemy charges. According to police, she is accused of burning pages inscribed with verses from the Quran.

Hopes that Rimsha Masih, the young Christian girl accused of blasphemy, would be released from prison today (30 August) in Pakistan were dashed after a lawyer, Rao Abdur Raheem (pictured) representing her accuser objected to bail being granted.