UKHRUL: A Christian pastor in Parjang village, Odisha, was brutally assaulted and humiliated by a mob. He was also paraded through the streets of the village with a garland of footwear around his neck on suspicions that he forced people to convert, though the claim is yet to be verified.
The victim has been identified as Bipin Bihari Naik. The incident, which occurred on January 4, came to light only after police detained nine persons on January 22 in connection with the assault, following Naik’s wife’s written complaint to Dhenkanal SP Abhinav Sonkar. In the complaint, she accused the Parjang police of a delayed response despite filing the complaint on the day of the incident itself, The Indian Express reported.
According to The Wire, Naik from Bhalumunda village in Dhenkanal was invited to conduct a prayer meeting, which led him to Parjang village. In his wife’s complaint, she alleged that around 11 am on January 4, while Naik was praying in the house, a group of 20 young men on motorcycles arrived with bamboo sticks and entered the house.
His wife also alleged that the mob was comprised of Bajrang Dal members, who assaulted him with bamboo sticks and fists, then smeared vermilion on him, paraded him around the village with a garland of shoes, and forced him to bow before a temple.
Naik’s brother, Udaynath James, alleged that Naik was forced to drink cow dung in a vessel made for the Lord’s Supper. Udaynath expressed how such an incident is the “ultimate humiliation,” adding that despite receiving treatment, Naik is still suffering from pain in his limbs and watery discharge from his ears, The Wire reported.
SP Abhinav Sonkar admitted that the charges are being investigated, but claims of Naik being forced to drink water from a drain and fed cow dung have been found to be incorrect. According to Sonkar, these claims were not mentioned in the complaint, The Indian Express reported.
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The incident has received widespread condemnation from leaders, including Conrad Sangma, who urged authorities to take swift and decisive action against those responsible.
“The recent attack on Pastor Bipin Bihari Naik, forcing him to eat cow dung and chant religious slogans, is a grave violation of the constitutional rights guaranteed to every citizen in India,” Sangma stated on X.
The National People’s Party (NPP) has sought Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s intervention over the alleged mob violence and public humiliation of Pastor Naik in Dhenkanal, stressing the need to uphold constitutional values and the rule of law.
Assam Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi also condemned the incident, raising concerns over alleged police lapses and calling for a prompt, thorough investigation and accountability to safeguard citizens’ rights regardless.