Devotees locked inside Odisha church, 30 families claim 'harassment' over prayers

KORAPUT: Tension mounted in Kapena village in Nabarangpur district of Odisha after members of the Christian community were allegedly harassed, assaulted and prevented from holding prayers.

Earlier on Jan 25, a group of miscreants allegedly disrupted a prayer service and warned nearly 30 tribal Christian families to renounce their faith.


The victims claimed that the group used loudspeakers to issue threats, saying the church would be demolished and the families expelled from the village if they continued their religious practices.

"When the devotees questioned why they should stop praying, the accused locked the church from outside and forced everyone to leave," alleged local resident Tuna Santa.

On Monday, two youths from the community - Jaladhar Santa (17) and Mohan Santa (20) - were allegedly assaulted by the mob.

Community members said they submitted a complaint at the local Umerkote police station. However, police acknowledged that tension had prevailed between two groups in the village and that security personnel had been deployed.

"We are yet to receive any complaint on the issue, but after learning about the incident, adequate police have been deployed to contain the situation," said Ramakanta Sai, IIC of Umerkote police station.

Nabarangpur collector Maheswar Swain said a peace committee comprising members from both the groups had been formed and a meeting was held in the village under the supervision of the sub-collector (Nabarangpur) Prakash Kumar Mishra to restore normalcy.

According to the collector, a house had been constructed on encroached land, and a section of villagers objected when part of it was being used as a prayer hall.

"As per the peace committee's decision, 15 days' time has been given to relocate the prayer hall and to both groups to resolve the issue and live in harmony as they did earlier," the collector informed TOI.

The incident comes days after a pastor was allegedly assaulted and harassed in public for conducting prayers in a village of Dhenkanal district. Pallav Lima, general secretary of Rashtriya Christian Morcha, Odisha wing, said these incidents appear to be deliberately provocative and a calculated attempt at polarisation. "In Nabarangpur's case, tribals are being used against tribals," he said.