By Sidra Fatima
On 12 June, Christian families were allegedly attacked by a Hindutva mob in Chhattisgarh’s Jagdalpur and given an ultimatum to denounce their religion within 10 days. At least two victims were left unconscious while three were hospitalised after the attack in Bade Paroda village, under Badanji Police station.
One of the injured had a broken leg indication of the intensity of the violence, the lawyer representing the families told Maktoob. The village has been a flashpoint for these religious clashes since 2023, with the Christian minorities being the target of these sporadic attacks and intimidation.
The lawyer representing the families since 2023 noted how all the attacks were aided by the local police eventually leading the families to flee from their village.
“The families are now banished from the village and have been coerced into signing a statement, in the presence of local authorities and signed by the village sarpanch, stating they will convert within ten days if they wish to return. They fled the village, fearing for their lives, as they believed they would be killed if they did not comply,” the lawyer, who wants to remain anonymous, told Maktoob.
While sharing the information about the incident, United Christian Forum (UCF) said at least 23 cases of violence against Christians have been recorded in just the past week. about 200 hate crimes against Christians have been reported in just the first three months of 2024, according to data maintained by the group.
This story was originally published in maktoobmedia.com. Read the full story here.