A mob of over 200 people attacked 18 Christian families in Iradaha village in the Kanker district of India’s Chhattisgarh State on 20 August.
The attack took place at approximately 5pm, when the mob gathered together and targeted the Christians as they made their way home after work. The mob also illegally entered several Christian properties to assault them in their homes.
According to a local source, the victims fled to hide behind nearby bushes and buildings, but were later attacked again as they began to return to their homes in the evening. Several were left injured, including women and children, and two of the victims were admitted to the district hospital in Kanker. One has since been discharged, but the other remained in hospital as of 28 August.
The Christians reportedly alerted the police to the attack, however no-one arrived to stop the violence as the area is under the control of Naxal insurgents who have a history of targeting police forces with violence.
The next day, the pastors’ fellowship in Kanker went to the Kanker Police station to file a complaint, but the police refused to receive the complaint and file a First Information Report (FIR), which is required to open an investigation, citing a nationwide strike against a Supreme Court ruling which permitted states to create sub-classifications within reservation categories for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. An FIR was eventually filed on 22 August.
The families, all of whom are converts from Hinduism, have faced threats and harassment in Iradaha for the past year, with villagers attempting to force them to return to their religion. Days prior to the 20 August attack, a villager claimed that he owned land belonging to one of the Christian families, despite having no evidence to support this, proceeding to plough the land and plant seeds there without the owner’s permission.
According to a local source, the situation in the village is still tense, and some families have left due to fear of further attacks.
CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: ‘The continued targeted discrimination, intimidation and physical attacks on Christians in India is deplorable. In Iradaha, a whole community has been afflicted because of the prejudice that is prevalent in the country and the far-right mentality that refuses to allow people to choose and practice their religion or belief. It is particularly concerning that the police have been slow to respond, leaving the victims vulnerable to further attacks with no one to turn to for assistance or protection. We urge the police and state authorities to investigate the matter thoroughly and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice, and that adequate medical support and compensation are provided to the victims. CSW also urges the state authorities to ensure that the families are able to return to their homes and their livelihoods without fear of further violence or harassment.’