Daijiworld Media Network - Dhamtari
Dhamtari, Dec 27: In a disturbing incident, the family of a deceased woman was allegedly forced to perform her last rites according to Hindu customs after villagers objected to her burial on the grounds that it followed Christian practices. The incident occurred in Borai village of Chhattisgarh’s Dhamtari district and comes days after communal tensions over a similar burial dispute in Kanker district.
The deceased, Punia Sahu (65), was claimed by locals to have converted to Christianity and attended church prayers. As her family prepared for her funeral, villagers, reportedly backed by members of a Hindutva group, protested against her burial, alleging it was being carried out as per Christian customs.
When the family attempted to take the body to another burial ground, protests resumed, with villagers demanding that the last rites be performed strictly according to Hindu traditions. The burial pit that had been dug was refilled, and the family reportedly guarded the body for nearly a day and a half.
Only after the family agreed to conduct the funeral rites as per Hindu customs was the burial allowed to proceed.
With tensions high in the region, particularly as Thursday was Christmas Day, the district administration and police intervened to prevent the situation from escalating.
“All disputes were resolved, and the burial was conducted on Friday morning as per Hindu rituals with the consent of community leaders,” Dhamtari district police chief Suraj Singh Parihar told the media.
Town inspector Narendra Singh, who was stationed in Borai village, said the deceased belonged to the Sahu community, which traditionally practises burial. “The issue here was the woman’s alleged conversion to Christianity. The administration and police intervened, pacified the villagers and helped arrive at an amicable solution,” he said, adding that authorities remained on alert.
The incident follows communal violence in neighbouring Kanker district on December 18 over a burial dispute, during which two churches were set ablaze. In the aftermath, Senior Superintendent of Police Indira Kalyan Elisila was transferred to Sarguja as Deputy Inspector General of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF).