May 22, 2025
In Odisha’s Nabarangpur district, a Christian family was recently denied the right to bury their deceased relative after local villagers claimed that a Christian funeral would defile their gods and land. Authorities failed to persuade the villagers, forcing the family to relocate the burial elsewhere. This incident reflects a growing trend across Odisha, where Christian burials are being obstructed as a means of religious persecution. Though such denials have occurred in India for years, the frequency and hostility surrounding them are escalating—particularly in regions dominated by Hindu nationalist influence.
Three independent investigations conducted between March and April in the districts of Nabarangpur, Gajapati, and Balasore reveal a disturbing rise in Christian persecution, including burial denials, forced conversions, and physical violence. Investigators documented cases where Christian bodies were desecrated, stolen, or posthumously “converted” to Hinduism before burial. Families were assaulted, forced to flee, or coerced into renouncing their faith to secure burial rights. In some cases, burials were only permitted if families signed false conversion documents. These findings point to a systematic weaponization of tribal identity by Hindu nationalist groups who claim that Christianity threatens traditional culture—using that narrative to justify discrimination, while local authorities remain complicit or inactive.
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SOURCE: International Christian Concern