Christian Families in Chhattisgarh Face Burial Rights Denial
In a troubling development, two Christian families in India’s Chhattisgarh state were obstructed from performing burial rites for their deceased relatives in their native villages. Locals in these areas imposed Hindu funeral rites as a prerequisite for burial, which led the families to seek alternative locations for their ceremonies.
The first incident involved a man from Kodekurse in Kanker district who passed away on November 5 after a prolonged illness. Despite having ancestral land designated for burial, the family was denied access by villagers opposed to their Christian faith, according to a report by Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
Efforts to seek police intervention proved futile as officers reportedly refused to challenge the villagers. In an act of protest, the Christian community placed the deceased’s body in front of the local police station.
On November 6, despite the arrival of supportive Christians from nearby areas, authorities suggested relocating the burial instead of confronting the villagers. The family, fearing violent reprisals from local Hindu nationalist groups, requested police protection to transport the body to Charama. The funeral procession faced aggression until it was finally redirected to Raipur, nearly 200 kilometers away, where a burial was completed in a Christian cemetery on November 7.
A similar situation unfolded in Jewartala village, approximately 90 kilometers from Raipur. Raman Sahu, a recent Christian convert from Jewartala, died in Raipur and was brought back for burial. However, villagers blocked the burial, insisting on Hindu customs, as reported by The New Indian Express.
Despite police presence and attempts by district officials to mediate, the villagers stood firm. As negotiations continued, Sahu’s body was kept in a mortuary. Ultimately, the family had to conduct the burial at the Sankra burial ground, away from Jewartala, the following Sunday. Balod district police chief Yogesh Patel explained that the denial was based on Sahu’s conversion to Christianity.
In both incidents, the Christian families attempted to use legally owned land or designated burial sites but were refused unless they renounced their faith. The Chhattisgarh Christian Forum condemned the authorities for not safeguarding constitutional rights.
Arun Pannalal, the Forum’s president, criticized local officials for failing to prevent these actions, stating that Christians are systematically denied burial rights in their villages. He noted that the land in question was legally designated for such purposes.
Christians in India frequently encounter hostility due to accusations of religious conversion, particularly in tribal and rural regions where Hindu nationalist groups are active. This animosity leads to social ostracism, intimidation, and denial of fundamental rights.
According to the Open Doors World Watch List, India ranks as the 11th-worst country for Christian persecution globally. The group highlights that numerous states have enacted anti-conversion laws that threaten Christian religious freedoms.
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
