Authorities in Odisha have detained seven individuals after Christian families were forced to flee their villages following threats and attacks over their refusal to abandon their faith.
The reported incidents took place on 10 June in the Koraput district, specifically in the Narayanpatna and Bondhugaon areas. According to Church sources, a group of tribal Christians, among them women and children, were driven from their homes during the night and sought safety in the nearby forest. The following day, they travelled to stay with friends and relatives in surrounding areas.
Local police arrested seven suspects on 12 June, and a magistrate subsequently placed them in judicial custody. This legal measure prevents the accused from influencing witnesses or interfering with the investigation.
“We appreciate the swift action by the police in detaining the attackers,” said Bishop Pallab Lima, leader of the United Believers Council Network India. “Such timely intervention is uncommon.”
Pastor Bihit Lima, who is assisting the affected families, explained that a mob entered the Christians’ homes late at night, demanding they renounce their belief in Jesus Christ. When the families refused, their houses were vandalised and they were chased from the village with no time to gather belongings.
After a night spent in hiding, the families reported the attack to local authorities, prompting the arrests. Officials have also given assurances that the victims will receive compensation for their loss and damages.
Christian leaders in Odisha say this is not an isolated case. They warn of growing hostility and systematic harassment targeting believers, particularly those from Dalit and tribal backgrounds, since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) formed the state government last year.
Records from the United Christian Forum (UCF), a Delhi-based interdenominational body that monitors persecution, show that Odisha has already witnessed 40 incidents of anti-Christian violence in 2024.
The state was also the site of country's most deadly anti-Christian violence in 2008, when communal riots in Kandhamal district left over 100 believers dead, thousands homeless, and numerous churches and homes destroyed. That violence was sparked by the killing of a Hindu religious leader, which extremist groups falsely blamed on Christians.
In response to ongoing discrimination, Christian communities in 25 of Odisha’s 30 districts held peaceful demonstrations on 9 June, calling for greater protection of religious freedom.
Christians form just under 3% of Odisha’s population of 42 million, the majority of whom are Hindus or belong to indigenous tribal communities.
Based on reporting originally shared by UCA News.
