The number of persecutions in India dramatically increased in 2016, according to a Christian outreach group, as another report projects the rise in oppression in the country to continue in 2017.

The Guardian reports that according to Open Doors, the largest outreach group for persecuted Christians across the globe, more Christians were persecuted in India last year, which prompted the country's rise to the 15^th spot in the 2017 World Watch List, from 31^st four years ago, among countries where practice of the Christian faith is considered "high risk."

The attacks were mostly perpetrated by Hindu nationalists, with the country being known to be predominantly Hindu, as about 80% of the population adhere to the polytheistic religion and only 2% are tagged as Christians, the report added.

The annual list found North Korea on top for the 16^th straight year, while Iraq and Syria dropped in the rankings, primarily because of the exodus of Christians from Islamic State. The number of Christians in Iraq and Syria are now pegged at 60,000 from a high of 400,000 prior to the civil war, according to the Open Doors report.

Meanwhile, violent persecutions are projected to rise in India this year, according to Persecution Trends, an annual from U.K.-based Release International. "In India, recorded attacks from Hindu militants have increased dramatically, and in China, pressure is building on unregistered churches," the annual report said.

"Around the world Christians face an increasing array of violent persecutors. These include the brutal Islamic State in the Middle East, heavily armed militants in Nigeria and Hindu extremists in India," said Paul Robinson, Release International Chief Executive.

The Christian Post also shared the report coming from the Religious Liberty Commission of the Evangelical Fellowship of India that there were 134 attacks on Christians or churches in the first half of 2016, a number that nearly rivals the totals for 2014 and 2015, combined.

With such challenges faced by Christians from different parts of the world, Robinson views the atrocities as "a wake-up call to take our prayers and practical support for our persecuted family to a new level."