Police appear to downplay the incident, but Christian leaders strongly reject the police narrative of a family feud
NEW DELHI – A group of Christians returning from a church in Kotamateru village in Odisha’s Malkangiri district was violently attacked by a mob allegedly affiliated with the Bajrang Dal. Armed with axes and sticks, the assailants beat several Christian devotees, leaving eight of them with serious injuries requiring hospitalisation.
Their “crime”? Refusing to convert to Hinduism.
According to media reports, the incident occurred on 21 June. The attackers threatened the villagers, saying, “Accept Hinduism or face consequences.” When the Christians — reportedly born into the faith — refused to comply, they were brutally assaulted.
Pallab Lima, state general secretary of the Rashtriya Christian Morcha in Odisha, said the community had been under threat for months. “They had been threatening us repeatedly,” Lima stated. “But these villagers are Christians by birth. They resisted. And this is what happened.”
Lima claimed the attackers belonged to the Bajrang Dal. “One of the victims managed to call a pastor, who rushed to inform the police. That intervention saved their lives,” he said.
Following the attack, the victims staged a peaceful protest outside the Malkangiri Superintendent of Police’s office and submitted a memorandum demanding protection and justice. However, police appeared to downplay the incident.
“This is a family feud between two brothers — one Christian, one Hindu. Others got involved after an argument following Sunday mass,” Rigan Kinda, inspector at the local police station, was quoted by media reports as saying.
But Christian leaders strongly rejected the police narrative.
“This was no family feud. It was a targeted, planned attack,” said Bijoy Pusuru, a local community leader. “Our people are now too afraid to return home.”
Bajrang Dal leader Sibapada Mirdha, however, denied any involvement, but stated, “Hindus have been raising their voice against forced conversions. Sometimes, there is a spontaneous reaction.”
Christians in the country have reportedly faced various forms of persecution and violence, with several incidents allegedly linked to right-wing groups. There have been instances of attacks on churches, Christian institutions, and individuals, often under the guise of protecting Hinduism or promoting a specific ideology. Some perpetrators have been known to demand that Christians renounce their faith and embrace Hinduism, reflecting a broader pattern of religious intolerance and exclusion. These incidents have raised concerns about religious freedom and the safety of minority communities in the country.
