A Pentecostal church in Odisha state was demolished around midnight on 16 November, allegedly by a mob of Hindu activists, sparking alarm and tension among Christians in Malkangiri district, church leaders said.
“We are totally shocked to see our church demolished, creating tension and fear among Christians in the neighbouring villages,” said Bijay Pusuru, president of the Malkangiri District Christian Manch.
District officials and police visited Gatiguda village on 17 November to inspect the site, Pusuru told UCA News. Three police personnel have since been deployed to guard the debris and prevent further unrest.
The attackers tore down the 25-year-old United Christian Indian Mission (UCIM) Church, causing extensive damage to the roof, walls, doors, windows, and altar. Furniture and the church’s sound system were also destroyed, Pusuru said.
Church leaders met the district Superintendent of Police on 17 November, who assured them of prompt action. A preliminary police complaint has been filed, but Pusuru noted that, “Even a day after the incident, police have not arrested anyone despite naming 17 suspected attackers, including five villagers who allegedly led the demolition.”
Pastor Samuel Gorada said a lone Christian family living nearby heard loud noises past midnight and witnessed the mob demolishing the building. They tried to contact Pastor S. Amos, who was away in another village for a prayer service.
The church had been closed for about six months following disputes with some Hindu villagers over Sunday prayer gatherings, which typically drew 30–35 worshippers, Gorada explained. “It served the community for 25 years, and there was no tension all these years. Now officials have asked us to hold prayers elsewhere,” he said.
Bishop Pallab Lima of the United Believers Council Network of India described the demolition as “a deliberate, calculated attack” aimed at halting Evangelical mission work in the district. He said Malkangiri has around 1,500 small churches belonging to denominations such as Pentecostal, Evangelical, Baptist, Methodist, and the Mar Thoma Church.
Rights activist John Dayal warned that long-time proponents of aggressive Hindutva in the state are now in power, creating “a situation of impunity in which law is tossed aside and virtual anarchy prevails” for religious minorities.
Odisha experienced its worst anti-Christian violence in 2008 in Kandhamal district, where over seven weeks more than 100 Christians were killed, 300 churches destroyed, and more than 56,000 residents displaced. Church networks report that more than 60 targeted attacks on Christians have been documented in the state over the past six months.
Adapted from UCA News.
