In a shocking incident, two Christian women from Odisha’s Balasore district were beaten and then tied to a tree by a Hindutva group a day after Christmas on allegations of conversion.
The incident came to light after a video showing the two tribal women in their forties tied to a tree, with the face of one of them appearing disfigured, went viral.
One of the victims is in critical condition and has been admitted to a local hospital in Balasore.
Speaking to Maktoob, Pastor Sadhu Sunder Singh, whose church the two women attend, said that the women are grievously injured and still admitted to the hospital.
The women had gone to visit and pray for a local man in Mukhura village when members of the Bajrang Dal gathered outside and demanded that the women come out.
“The women were praying in the home along with the owner of the house and his family. That’s when some men belonging to the Bajrang Dal barged into the owner’s house, demanding that those doing conversions should come out,” he said.
According to Singh, the house owner was warned and harassed if their demand was not complied with.
The women, according to the pastor, were hidden inside the owner’s house for safety concerns. Upon finding the women, Bajrang Dal members beat them up, including children, to force them to reveal the women’s whereabouts.
“They beat up the children so much that out of fear he blurted that the women were inside the house. The women were then dragged, their necks choked and they were kicked by these men. Water was thrown on the women and they were asked to go out of the house,” he said.
Singh said that the women were not able to walk as they were beaten up so badly that the men then dragged the women out. Singh has also alleged that the women were harassed.
“The men forced them to remove their sarees and asked others to join in, wherein the mob beat up the women more,” he added. The mob included both men and women.
The Wire spoke to the Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) of Remuna police station Subas Mallick, who confirmed the incident. The women who have been identified as Subhasini Singh and Sukanti Singh (both 42) – were beaten up, and that the face of one of them was smeared with the cake they had allegedly brought with them to the Chhankhanpur hamlet of Mukhura village in Remuna.
The police have also said that the women had come to the intention of converting some Hindu tribals, however Singh has called the allegations baseless.
Meanwhile, the women after the harassment were further humiliated when they were tied to a tree, the video of which has gone viral on social media.
Along with the women, a man who had accompanied them was also beaten up.
The video shows the women surrounded by a group of men and women with one of the men wearing a white shirt saying that they were responsible for destroying (Hindu) religion and culture. The man sporting a vermillion tikka on his forehead later raises slogans of “Bharat Mata ki jai” and “Jai Shri Ram.”
The police had detained four persons in connection with the incident and filed two cases under various sections of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Odisha Freedom of Religions Act, 1967.
However, Singh has alleged that the accused were let go soon after their arrest. While the police have said that the women and the accused compromised, Singh alleged that the men were let go, soon after they were taken to Remuna Police Station as pressure was created. The women were also harassed by Bajrang Dal members.
“They have refused to file an FIR as the accused are creating pressure upon the women and their families. They have also threatened them, upon which I received a distressing call requesting us to not take the matter further,” he said.
Singh further said that the women were consoled after which he along with others were at the police station demanding that strict action be taken in the matter.
The Superintend of Police (SP) of Balasore could not be reached for comments on the matter.
Maktoob had recently reported how there is an increase in the number of attacks on the Christian community in India. Odisha is no different.
“There has been an increase in the persecution of Christians lately and it is all very distressing,” Singh said, adding they are going to pursue the matter till stringent actions are taken.
