The incident took place on July 4 under the Parjang police station limits, it came to light recently after police registered a case after repeated appeals by tthevictim's wife.
BHUBANESWAR — A Christian pastor in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district was brutally assaulted, publicly humiliated and allegedly forced to consume cow dung by a Hi ndu mob after a prayer meeting, on suspicion of religious conversion , according to multiple media reports.
The victim, identified as Pastor Bipin Bihari Naik, was attacked on January 4, 2026 in Parjang village — a predominantly Hindu community where only a handful of Christian families reside.
The pastor Bipin Bihari Naik, his wife Vandana and others were in a prayer meeting on the day when a mob of 15 to 20 people allegedly asked Naik to come outside the house, which he refused, saying he would first complete the prayer.
His wife alleged that the mob then forcibly entered the house and began assaulting all attendees.
The mob allegedly dragged Naik outside, beat him with sticks, smeared red vermilion (sindoor) on his face, and garlanded him with slippers before parading him through the village in a humiliating spectacle, she said.
Vandana has alleged that the attackers then tied her husband to a temple and forced him to eat cow dung while coercing him to chant religious slogans tied to majoritarian Hindu rhetoric. She and other witnesses said they fled to the local police station to seek help during the assault begging the officers to save her husband..
“It was only after nearly two hours that the police reached the village,” she said.
Although the incident took place on July 4 under the Parjang police station limits, it came to light recently after police registered a case after repeated appeals by tthe pastor’s wife.
The pastor’s family has criticised the police for a delayed response, claiming that authorities reached the village nearly two hours after the assault began despite repeated pleas for assistance. They also allege initial reluctance from police to register an FIR and investigate the matter seriously.
After being rescued, Naik was taken to the police station and reportedly made to wait without immediate medical attention, raising further concerns among rights activists and witnesses.
The mob had attacked Naik on suspicion of religious conversion, but his wife has firmly rejected the accusation. Vandana also said the police tried to dismiss the incident and even refused to register a complaint due to counter-allegations of forceful conversion.
However, four accused have since been detained for their involvement in the assault, according to media reports.
“Based on the complaint lodged by pastor Bipin Naik’s wife, we have detained four people after examining several individuals. A case has been registered at Parjang Police Station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS),” Dhenkanal Superintendent Abhinav Sonkar told PTI.
Vandana said her family were severely affected by the attack, and Naik has been unable to sleep since.
The incident has drawn widespread condemnation across India. Opposition political figures labelled the attack a violation of constitutional rights and a sign of growing intolerance toward religious minorities.
Leaders from parties including the Congress described the assault and alleged forced humiliation as a “new low” for communal harmony.
Congress national spokesperson from MP, Dr Syed Naseer Hussain, said in a post on X that the attack reflects a wider political climate, “We unequivocally condemn these acts of violence against minorities, the inhuman treatment inflicted in full public view, and the space granted to fringe elements to hurt, humiliate, and terrorise with impunity.”
“India’s democracy cannot be sustained through fear, humiliation, or majoritarian dominance,” he added, urging the Bharatiya Janata Party-led centre government to end this “culture of silence” and ensure protection to the affected families.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma called it a “grave violation of the constitutional rights.”
This case emerges amid ongoing debates over religious freedom and accusations of forced conversion in several states, where similar tensions have previously led to violence.
