By Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Staff
(Worthy News) – More than 30 Christians were injured in a brutal mob attack during a peaceful prayer gathering in Odisha’s Malkangiri district, with no arrests made nearly two weeks after the incident, according to multiple rights groups and local sources.
The violence unfolded on June 21 in Kotamateru village, where around 20 Christian farming families had gathered to bless seeds ahead of the planting season. The prayer event turned chaotic when an estimated 400 individuals, reportedly armed with axes and sticks, stormed the gathering in a coordinated assault.
According to Christian Solidarity International (CSI), at least 20 people sustained serious injuries and were hospitalized. A local pastor, alerted by one of the victims, contacted Malkangiri Police, who arrived at the scene to evacuate the wounded. Other community members fled to a nearby church, which is now serving as a makeshift relief center.
The U.S.-based International Christian Concern (ICC) reported that the victims were attacked while eating lunch, and that the assault involved Christians from three nearby villages. Eyewitnesses claim that Hindu nationalist groups were behind the violence.
However, Malkangiri police offered a different version of events. Inspector Rigan Kinda told The Telegraph that the clash began as a personal dispute between two brothers–one Christian and the other Hindu–that escalated over religious differences.
Christian leaders have firmly rejected the police account, calling it a cover-up. They allege that the Bajrang Dal, a right-wing Hindu nationalist group, orchestrated the assault. Bajrang Dal’s local leader denied direct involvement but admitted to growing “spontaneous” resistance to what he described as religious conversions by Christians.
Tensions have reportedly risen since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a Hindu nationalist political party, gained power in Odisha’s state government in June 2024. A local pastor told CSI he has received repeated threats and has stopped going to work due to fear for his safety. A video circulating on social media allegedly shows a Hindu leader warning Christians of consequences if they continue proselytizing.
Christian organizations including Rashtriya Christian Morcha, Malkangiri District Christian Manch, and the Council of Evangelical Churches in India have visited the victims and demanded swift action from local authorities. Despite filing a formal complaint, police have not applied more serious charges such as attempted murder or religious hate crimes, sparking outrage among community leaders.
On June 23, the Malkangiri Pastors Fellowship submitted a memorandum to the district police chief, urging the establishment of a permanent police outpost in Kotamateru and nearby areas. As of July 2, no arrests have been made, and no additional security measures have been implemented, according to CSI.
Bishop Pallab Kumar Lima, who heads the Odisha chapter of the Rashtriya Christian Morcha, described the aftermath as “a grave humanitarian crisis.” He has called for state-sponsored relief under the Odisha Victim Compensation Scheme.
This incident is part of a larger pattern of rising violence against Christians in India. Between March and April 2025, fact-finding teams documented escalating anti-Christian attacks across several districts in Odisha, including Nabarangpur and Gajapati. One particularly disturbing case involved the exhumation of a young Christian man’s body, with his family assaulted while police allegedly stood by.
India witnessed one of its worst anti-Christian pogroms in 2007-2008 in the Kandhamal district, where over 100 churches were destroyed and thousands displaced.
Meanwhile, a recent report by the United Christian Forum (UCF) indicates that, on average, two attacks on Christians occur daily in India. The UCF recorded 313 incidents from January to May 2025, involving physical assaults, social boycotts, destruction of religious property, and threats.
Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh–both governed by the BJP–have emerged as major hotspots for such violence. UCF said 64 incidents were reported in Chhattisgarh and 58 in Uttar Pradesh. The organization noted that many cases go unreported due to fear of retribution in what it described as an environment of “impunity and political patronage.”
UCF’s national convenor, A.C. Michael, accused elements within the law and justice systems of complicity. He warned that without urgent political and legal intervention, the identity and survival of India’s Christian community could be at serious risk.
India currently has anti-conversion laws in 12 states–many of them BJP-ruled–which Christian leaders argue have been weaponized to target minorities. The strictest such law is in Uttar Pradesh, with other states like Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh expected to adopt similar provisions.
As the Kotamateru victims await justice, Christian leaders continue to press the government for protection and accountability, warning that the cycle of violence will only worsen without decisive action.
The post Mob Attack on Christians in Odisha Sparks Outcry Amid Rising Religious Tensions in India appeared first on Worthy Christian News.
(Worthy News) – More than 30 Christians were injured in a brutal mob attack during a peaceful prayer gathering in Odisha’s Malkangiri district, with no arrests made nearly two weeks after the incident, according to multiple rights groups and local sources.
The violence unfolded on June 21 in Kotamateru village, where around 20 Christian farming families had gathered to bless seeds ahead of the planting season. The prayer event turned chaotic when an estimated 400 individuals, reportedly armed with axes and sticks, stormed the gathering in a coordinated assault.
According to Christian Solidarity International (CSI), at least 20 people sustained serious injuries and were hospitalized. A local pastor, alerted by one of the victims, contacted Malkangiri Police, who arrived at the scene to evacuate the wounded. Other community members fled to a nearby church, which is now serving as a makeshift relief center.
The U.S.-based International Christian Concern (ICC) reported that the victims were attacked while eating lunch, and that the assault involved Christians from three nearby villages. Eyewitnesses claim that Hindu nationalist groups were behind the violence.
However, Malkangiri police offered a different version of events. Inspector Rigan Kinda told The Telegraph that the clash began as a personal dispute between two brothers–one Christian and the other Hindu–that escalated over religious differences.
Christian leaders have firmly rejected the police account, calling it a cover-up. They allege that the Bajrang Dal, a right-wing Hindu nationalist group, orchestrated the assault. Bajrang Dal’s local leader denied direct involvement but admitted to growing “spontaneous” resistance to what he described as religious conversions by Christians.
Tensions have reportedly risen since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a Hindu nationalist political party, gained power in Odisha’s state government in June 2024. A local pastor told CSI he has received repeated threats and has stopped going to work due to fear for his safety. A video circulating on social media allegedly shows a Hindu leader warning Christians of consequences if they continue proselytizing.
Christian organizations including Rashtriya Christian Morcha, Malkangiri District Christian Manch, and the Council of Evangelical Churches in India have visited the victims and demanded swift action from local authorities. Despite filing a formal complaint, police have not applied more serious charges such as attempted murder or religious hate crimes, sparking outrage among community leaders.
On June 23, the Malkangiri Pastors Fellowship submitted a memorandum to the district police chief, urging the establishment of a permanent police outpost in Kotamateru and nearby areas. As of July 2, no arrests have been made, and no additional security measures have been implemented, according to CSI.
Bishop Pallab Kumar Lima, who heads the Odisha chapter of the Rashtriya Christian Morcha, described the aftermath as “a grave humanitarian crisis.” He has called for state-sponsored relief under the Odisha Victim Compensation Scheme.
This incident is part of a larger pattern of rising violence against Christians in India. Between March and April 2025, fact-finding teams documented escalating anti-Christian attacks across several districts in Odisha, including Nabarangpur and Gajapati. One particularly disturbing case involved the exhumation of a young Christian man’s body, with his family assaulted while police allegedly stood by.
India witnessed one of its worst anti-Christian pogroms in 2007-2008 in the Kandhamal district, where over 100 churches were destroyed and thousands displaced.
Meanwhile, a recent report by the United Christian Forum (UCF) indicates that, on average, two attacks on Christians occur daily in India. The UCF recorded 313 incidents from January to May 2025, involving physical assaults, social boycotts, destruction of religious property, and threats.
Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh–both governed by the BJP–have emerged as major hotspots for such violence. UCF said 64 incidents were reported in Chhattisgarh and 58 in Uttar Pradesh. The organization noted that many cases go unreported due to fear of retribution in what it described as an environment of “impunity and political patronage.”
UCF’s national convenor, A.C. Michael, accused elements within the law and justice systems of complicity. He warned that without urgent political and legal intervention, the identity and survival of India’s Christian community could be at serious risk.
India currently has anti-conversion laws in 12 states–many of them BJP-ruled–which Christian leaders argue have been weaponized to target minorities. The strictest such law is in Uttar Pradesh, with other states like Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh expected to adopt similar provisions.
As the Kotamateru victims await justice, Christian leaders continue to press the government for protection and accountability, warning that the cycle of violence will only worsen without decisive action.
The post Mob Attack on Christians in Odisha Sparks Outcry Amid Rising Religious Tensions in India appeared first on Worthy Christian News.
