Persecution in Orissa

There has been a severe season of persecution in the past year in the State of Orissa in Eastern India. Here are some of the reports issued by the Evangelical Fellowship of India. I think they speak for themselves. Let us pray for our brothers and sisters who are suffering terribly.

1. On the 24th of August Pastor Jeebaratna Lima from Khurda District was attacked and beaten up mercilessly. The miscreants doused petrol on him and were about to set him on fire, but timely arrival of police saved his life. He was in police custody but later was released on bail the next day.

2. Pastor Bahumulya Paik of Bamandei, Patpur Police Station, Ganjam District was beaten to a point of death by a mob of around 100 people. He vomited blood but later gained consciousness and managed to flee from the place while the group was engaged in attacking the local believers. Since the hospitals were closed, no medical help was available. On August 26, the police escorted him to some distance by their vehicle and left him on the way to take a bus and go away.

3. Pastor Bishnu Kumbhar and his pregnant wife of village Dutta, under Madan Rampur Police Station of Kalahandi district, were chased out. To save their lives, they ran away in the darkness and hid themselves from the attackers.

4. Pastor Susanjit Beero of Tengada Pathar under Tikabali Police Station of Phulabani was attacked by a group of Hindutva miscreants. Along with a few believers he is still reported to be taking shelter in the forest, though without food and clothes for the last 48 hours.

5. Pastor Dillip Koshla of Tiangia village, under Raikia Police Station was attacked by the mob. His house and property are burned and looted by the unruly mob.

6. Pastor Birendra Harijan, of Nakapolo Church under Dharmasala Police Station of Jajpur District, was beaten up badly. As the miscreants were about to set his house on fire, the timely arrival of police prevented the disaster.

7. Pastor Amit Pani of Ampani village, Koksora Police Station (PS) under Kalahandi district, was chased out and locked in a house but managed to escape.

8. Pastor Lebiyo Raito of Kanjamendi, Nuagam PS, Phulbani, was attacked and chased away from his house. He is still hiding in the jungle.

9. Pastor Jatan Nayak, of Bhadrak district was attacked and his house ransacked. He is in police protection at the moment.

10. Pastor Abinash Garjang, of Tattaguda, Malkangiriis, was attacked and the church building was ransacked.

11. Pastor Aurobindo Sahu of Tumgurpada Church, Bargarh District, is threatened to leave the place with dire consequences if he doesn't.

12. District pastor Anant Benya of Badibahal church, Luisingha PS, in Bolangir District, was issued a threat of attack to the church on the 26th August.

13. Pastor Pabitra Digal and Pastor Dharmendra Digal, of Sundargarh district, have received threats to their life, burning the church.

14. Pastor Thomas Bhoi of Petapanga church Raikia, Kandhamal district, was attacked by the mob and their household items were damaged.

15. Pastor Ramakant Pradhan of Dotta Church and Pastor Sulaisng Barik of Hatibandh Church under Sinapali PS of Nuapada District was chased away from the village. Their whereabouts are not known.

16. Pastor Bijaya Surya of Penkam Church, Gunapur PS, Rayagada District, is threatened and asked to leave the place.

17. Pastor Mothilal Sagar and his family, also along with five sisters and two brothers in Madekela, Godphila block, were attacked, but they managed to flee and hid themselves. The miscreants are searching for them.

18. More than 15 church buildings of Believers Church alone and several churches of other denominations are damaged. The rampage is still going on unabated.

19. Church building and 60 houses in Tiangia village, Raikia, Kandhamal burned. Two Christians named Dasarath Pradhan, Bikram Naik killed.

20. Church building was bombed and destroyed. 30 houses were burned in Tengdapathar, Tikabali, Kandhamal.

21. Church and parsonage damaged, 20 houses burned, and two believers killed in Pettapanga, Saranggada, Kandhmal.

22. Chandrasekaharpur, BDA Church, Bhubaneswar damaged.

23. Tangupada, Bargarh District, the anti-Christians have threatened the pastor, Arobindo Sahu, to leave, and they have a plan to destroy the newly built church.

24. Audiovisual Team is hiding in the jungle in Chandragiri, Gajapati District, because of the threats.

25. BOH (Education center for Children) in Kuttenpalli, Bolangir District, having 120 students, was threatened to close down.

26. Tattaguda Church of Pastor Abinash Garjang in Baipariguda, Malkangiri demolished.

27. Bhatta Palla Church of Pastor John Naik in Madanpur, Rampur, in Kalahandi demolished.

28. Tujung Church of Pastor Basant Digal in M. Rampur Kalahandi damaged.

29. Ladapanga Church of Pastor Rajanikanth Nayak in Daringbadi damaged.

30. The residences of Pastor Bijaya Kumar Surya, Pastor Susil Lima of Miraguda, Gunupur ransacked and looted. No police protection given.

31. The Church of Pastor Junus Digal destroyed and 180 houses of Christians burned in Balkidadi, Kandhmal. Without food and drinking water the Christians are in the jungle for the last three days.

32. The church building and all the houses of the Christians in Kurmingia of Kandhamal burned. The Christians have fled to nearby jungles.

33. Church building and houses ransacked and later burned in Tattaguda of Malkangiri District.

34. Churches destroyed and houses burnt along with 4 believers killed in Dadingia of Raikia, Kandhamal.

35. The church of Pastor Alif Nayak, alongwith 12 houses in Ranipada, Kandhamal, burned. Pastor killed.

36. Houses burned and Christians attacked in Madkela, Tusura in Bolangir.

37. Pastors Dandapani and Junus Diagal chased out of their place but they managed to flee to safety in nearby jungle.

38. Four incidents of attacks reported in Koraput.

39. Carmel English Medium School in Khurda threatened to close down by Hindu fundamentalists.

40. Houses in Khariapada, Udaigari were bombed by petrol bombs.

41. Unconfirmed reports suggests around 10-11 Christians were killed in jungles by angry and unruly mob.

42. Church in Balangir demolished.

43. Complete failure of Law and Order in violence affected areas. Police and paramillitary forces are mere spectators.

44. 300-400 attackers burned houses of Christians in Kurmanga, Raikia.

45. Nuagaon village dominated by around 50 Christian families completely burned down.

46. Church in Nuagaon village burned.

47. Grace Girls Hostel with 60-70 students in Kotagarh, Phulbani, attacked by more than 1000 people. Just 10 police personnel posted for protection were not sufficient to protect the Hostel.

The fundamentalist group is going from village to village destroying churches, burning houses, attacking and killing Christians. It is reported that thousands of extremists have been brought from Gujarat and Chhattisgarh to perpetrate this violence which has spread to all the districts of Orissa. Their agenda is to wipe out Christians and Christianity from India starting from Orissa.