Church leaders in India have condemned as “disturbing and out of place” the violent assault on two priests, a catechist, and two nuns in the eastern state of Odisha.
They called it part of a troubling rise in intolerance toward Christians.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) said around 70 members of the Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the Vishva Hindu Parishad, ambushed the group on August 6 near Gangadhar village in the Diocese of Balasore, “falsely accusing” them of religious conversions.
CBCI president Archbishop Mar Andrews Thazhath voiced concern over “the rising number of attacks on Christians under the guise of enforcing the Prohibition of Conversion Act,” warning that such incidents are “fostering fear among Christian communities across several states.”
He added that “extremism exists in all religions, but the targeted attacks on Christians reflect a disturbing rise in intolerance,” rejecting allegations of forced conversions and noting that the Christian population has declined since India’s independence.
The clergy — Fathers Lijo Nirappel, parish priest of Jaleswar, and V. Jojo from Joda parish, two nuns, and a catechist — had traveled to conduct a requiem Mass for two local parishioners. The service began after 6 p.m. Once they left at about 9 p.m., they were intercepted on a narrow, wooded road less than half a kilometer from the village.
“First, they attacked our catechist, who was riding a motorcycle,” said Father Lijo. “They brutally beat him, dismantled the motorcycle, emptied the fuel tank, and threw him away.”
He said the mob then stopped the priests’ car and began hurling insults. “They physically attacked us, pushing us, assaulting us, and brutally beating us. They punched us, stole our phones, and kept shouting that we wanted to turn them into Americans, converting them by force. They shouted, ‘You can’t make us Christians anymore.’”
Despite pleas from village women explaining that the group had been invited for prayer, the attackers persisted. “It was a premeditated ambush,” Father Lijo said. “They brought their media to create a false narrative.”
Police arrived after about 45 minutes and escorted the group away. “The police told the group they would take us to the police station for questioning, but in reality they were just saving us from further violence,” he said.
Father Jojo, visiting from Joda parish, said he was “deeply shocked” by the hostility. “I had only come to celebrate Mass. I never imagined such hostility for such a peaceful and sacred gesture.”
As of August 8, no First Information Report had been filed. The Syro-Malabar Church also condemned the attack, warning of increasing threats in BJP-ruled states.
Political leaders, including KPCC president Sunny Joseph, accused the BJP of “complicity through silence and inaction,” describing the incident as part of “a broader pattern of anti-Christian violence.”
