A fact-finding team comprising advocates and a social activist has alleged that Odisha police personnel desecrated a church, assaulted tribal women and children, and vandalised property in the Juba village of Mohana Tehsil, Gajapati district, during a raid in late March.
The team, which visited the site on April 9, claims the incident marks the first reported police attack on a Christian church in the state, The Wire reported.
The team, consisting of seven lawyers and one activist, visited the village where the alleged violence occurred on March 22, purportedly during a raid linked to reports of marijuana cultivation.
According to their report, police forces entered the church premises without a warrant, disrupted preparations for Sunday mass by Kondh Adivasi women and minors, and engaged in aggressive acts that included the destruction of church property. The team highlighted that such actions violated constitutional rights and specific provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.
The report described alleged physical assaults on two young tribal women inside the church, who were then dragged a considerable distance to a waiting police bus, while minor girls sought help from priests residing within the compound. A woman from the Sabar tribal community who came to assist the girls was also reportedly beaten and had her clothes torn in the process.
The team’s account extends to incidents of violence involving children and other women from a nearby village, some of whom were reportedly transported in a police vehicle and abandoned at a distance. It is also alleged that mobile phones were seized from the women and remain unreturned, raising concerns about violations of multiple legal provisions, including the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The report further alleges that two Catholic priests were beaten and accused of unlawful religious conversions, with one suffering serious injuries. A sum of Rs 40,000 was reportedly taken from their residence by the police. Local homes were also allegedly targeted, with widespread property destruction that included damaged motorcycles, household items, and food supplies.
The team underscored the socio-economic vulnerability of the region, pointing out that Gajapati ranks low on the Human Development Index, has a significant Christian and tribal population, and suffers from poor literacy and infrastructure. Mohana block, where the incident occurred, is among the least developed areas in Odisha, with a particularly low female literacy rate and a predominantly rural population.
Despite the gravity of the alleged events, the team noted that no FIRs had been registered even 20 days after the incident. Complaints were said to have been submitted to the Superintendent of Police, although no formal police response has been documented.
The report attributed the violence to a group of police personnel allegedly harbouring communal and caste-based biases and called for urgent legal action under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, POCSO Act, and relevant sections of the BNSS.
It recommended greater diversity in police recruitment, training on human rights, and enhanced awareness of constitutional protections for religious and tribal communities. The team also urged media organisations to report more actively on incidents affecting marginalised populations.