Christians attacked in India’s Chhattisgarh State

Over 60 Christians were attacked during a Sunday service in Sadrapal Village, Sukma district, Chhattisgarh State, India, on May 31. According to eyewitness testimony and victims, approximately 69 to 70 believers had gathered for their regular Sunday worship and prayer service when they were attacked by a group of individuals.

According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide sources, a group of nearly 100 villagers entered the church around 9:30 a.m. and demanded congregants to renounce their faith. When they refused, the mob attacked those congregated, including a pregnant woman and children.

The Progressive Christian Alliance, an Indian human rights advocacy group, reported the prayer meeting was held by Hunga Mandavi, who serves as the leader and coordinator of the local prayer fellowship. Reports suggest Mandavi’s pregnant wife was subjected to assault, causing significant concern within the community.

Around 25 to 30 church members were physically assaulted and sustained injuries, with five individuals critically injured and taken to the Sukma District Hospital for treatment. Treatment was denied, CSW sources reported, until a First Information Report was filed. A first information report is required for police to open an investigation into a crime.

Sources indicated when members of the Christian community first tried filing an FIR, registration was refused by the police, resulting in delays in medical treatment. The FIR was registered June 5, and those with critical injuries were transferred to a nearby hospital.

All have since been discharged and returned home. Twelve individuals were arrested on June 7 but released three days later.

Targeted for faith, facing discrimination

Victims and members of the local community claim the attack occurred while congregants were peacefully engaged in worship, and they were targeted for their faith in Jesus Christ and practice of Christianity. Disputes have emerged claiming the attack was characterized as a land dispute.

According to the affected families, the attack was motivated not by land-related conflict, but by opposition to their religious beliefs and worship activities. Sources indicate Christians in Chhattisgarh have faced longstanding discrimination, including denial of access to water, employment, and forest access, in an attempt to force “reconversion” to Hinduism.

The violence has been exacerbated by recent anti-conversion laws enacted in Chhattisgarh. The laws, intended to curb fraudulent or coerced religious conversions, use ambiguous language such as ‘allurement’ or ‘undue influence,’ potentially enabling misuse against minorities. Penalties under the proposed Freedom of Religion Bill range from seven years to life imprisonment and hefty fines for mass conversions.

Condemning the violence

Wissam al-Saliby, president of the Christian human rights nonprofit 21Wilberforce, commented on the recent attack and legislation.

“The attack … appears consistent with a broader pattern of discrimination. Christian families in Sadrapal village have reportedly endured years of social exclusion, including restrictions on access to community resources. No one should be forced to choose between their faith and full participation in community life,” Al-Saliby said.

“India’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion to all citizens. The challenge in cases such as Sadrapal is not whether these protections exist on paper, but whether they are consistently upheld in practice, particularly for vulnerable minority communities in remote areas,” he continued.

“Religious freedom,” Al-Saliby said, “means more than the absence of imprisonment for one’s beliefs. It means being able to worship, live, work, access public services, and participate in society without fear of violence, coercion, or discrimination.”

He condemned the legislation, highlighting how it can be weaponized against religious minority populations and urging Indian authorities to protect the rights of these minorities.

“Laws that impose severe criminal penalties and employ vague terms … risk being used against religious minorities and can contribute to a climate of hostility toward those who choose to practice or change their faith. We urge Indian authorities to ensure that all laws and policies fully protect the constitutional rights of every citizen, including the right to freely choose, change, and practice one’s religion.”