Mob Vandalizes Catholic Church in Eastern India’s Odisha State

A Catholic church in eastern India’s Odisha state was vandalized and sacred items desecrated by a group of villagers on March 3 in Dengasargi village of Rayagada district, according to reports from Church authorities and Catholic Connect.

A group of tribal villagers gathered around 7 p.m. and demanded that three Catholic families living in the village come out of their homes.

“The families were frightened and remained inside, fearing they would be assaulted,” Fr. Abed Kumar Khura, parish priest of the cathedral parish in Rayagada, told Catholic Connect while recounting the incident.

When the families refused to step outside, the crowd allegedly targeted a small Catholic church located along the village street.

“At around 9 p.m., the mob broke open the church door and entered the building,” Fr. Khura said. “They damaged the altar and the cross and collected sacred items including the priest’s vestments, Bibles, and other religious articles. These were taken outside and set on fire.”

Police Complaint Filed

Following the incident, Church authorities approached the police. Acting on the advice of Bishop Aplinar Senapati of Rayagada, the affected families filed a First Information Report (FIR) on March 4 at JK Pur Police Station.

Later that day, a police team visited the village along with church representatives to assess the situation. The delegation included Fr. Shanti Chandana Pani, vicar general of the diocese; Fr. Khura; Fr. Eric Xalco; advocate John Paul; and Sujit Nayak.

“When we reached the village, most of the accused were not present,” Fr. Khura said, adding that police also began examining the legal status of the land on which the church stands.

Police Intervention

Later in the evening, a senior officer representing the district Superintendent of Police arrived in the village to supervise the inquiry. Both parties were asked to appear at Therubali Police Station for questioning.

Police deployed additional personnel to maintain order and warned that individuals refusing to cooperate could be brought in under escort.

According to Catholic Connect, around 180 villagers later appeared at the police station along with members of the affected families.

During the inquiry, some villagers claimed tensions had existed since the church building was constructed in 2023. Others raised concerns regarding the ownership of the land on which the church stands.

Police officials reminded those present that disputes must be addressed through legal means and warned against taking the law into their own hands.

Temporary Peace Measures

Local authorities facilitated a temporary peace understanding between the communities. Officials assured protection for the affected Catholic families and confirmed that Christians would be allowed to continue prayer and worship.

Police personnel remain stationed in the village to ensure security while investigations into the incident continue.

Fr. Khura expressed appreciation for the authorities’ intervention.

“We are grateful to the police administration for their timely response and cooperation,” he said, noting that the prompt action helped prevent further escalation of the situation.