A man who recently converted to Christianity was found beheaded in the middle of the road earlier this month.

Nine months ago, Anant Ram Gand became a Christian. Since then, he and his family have faced various forms of persecution for his decision, which culminated to his death on February 11, 2019.

Persecution Relief reported last week that Anant, 40, was taken from his home three men, tied to a pole, and led to his death.

His wife at the time was away from their home with the couple's four daughters in her care. Their six-year-old son had remained at home with Anant and was pushed aside by his father's captors before running to his uncle's home, which was nearby.

Anant's body was later found decapitated along a nearby road.

Harassment against Anant's family began shortly after his conversion to Christianity. Anant himself was beaten twice last year, and villagers prevented the family from drawing water at the local well. The family had also been excommunicated from their village and were living about a kilometre beyond its border.

Anant's wife, Sukbati, has declared the family will not renounce their Christian faith but revealed her fear of violence and retaliation against herself and her five children.

A wave of violence against Christians rose in India in 2014 when Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist BJP assumed power in the country, World Watch Monitor reports.

Odisha, where Anant was from, is an Indian state with strict "anti-conversion laws," which allow for harassment against minority groups under the guise of preventing conversions. An ideology equating Indian identity with Hindu beliefs is one reason persecution is so strong in the country at this time reported Open Doors in a recent report. Mob violence commonly results in retaliation to those attempting to convert others away from Hinduism.