Photo: Flickr / Rakshit Pandey (CC)
A Christian family residing in a tribal village of Chhattisgarh state has been denied permission to bury a relative who passed away, unless they first convert to Hinduism. Local villagers claim that allowing a Christian burial would defile their land and anger their deities.
Sambai Mandavi, a 34-year-old Christian woman from the village of Amodi, passed away on February 24th. When her husband Kamlesh attempted to arrange her burial – either in the village's public cemetery or on privately owned family land – both of his options were refused. According to village leaders, the burial could only proceed if the family renounced their Christian faith and converted to Hinduism. As a result, Sambai's body remains in the hospital's mortuary while the dispute continues.
A formal complaint has been filed with local authorities after Kamlesh received threats of violence against both himself and his property. This conflict arises only six days after a court ruling that halted the exhumation of Christians' bodies in tribal villages throughout the state.
Commenting on this difficult situation, a spokesperson for the Progressive Christian Alliance stated that "the persistence of such threats underscores a blatant disregard for judicial directives." The organization is calling for direct intervention by state authorities. To review other reports addressing the persecution of Christians in India, go to our country profile.
- Prayerfully uphold Kamlesh and his family, asking the Lord to greatly comfort and strengthen them as they now must contend with this troubling situation while grieving the loss of their loved one.
- Pray that state officials would intervene in their case, working to enforce the court's decision and protect the constitutional rights of these citizens.
- May God work powerfully within the lives of villagers in Amodi so that, in the midst of this conflict, their hardened hearts would be softened, and thus receptive to the truth of the Gospel.
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