A family in India was blocked from burying their relative in their ancestral village because of the deceased family member’s Christian faith.
The Christian man in Kodekhursi, which is in central India, died after a “prolonged period of ill health.”
But after his death, the residents of his hometown “refused to permit his burial within village boundaries and on his own family’s plot,” according to a release from Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
The local Christian community sought help from police, but the officers declined to intervene, allowing the villagers to block the burial.
The family faced a wave of intimidation and threats, leading the Christian community to place “the deceased’s remains in front of the police station to appeal for action,” the release added.
More Christians arrived in Kodekhursi to support the family.
The police still refused to intervene, advising them to bury the relative’s remains outside of the ancestral village.
They moved the body to the neighboring town of Charama, requesting a police escort because of Hindu nationalist groups that may target them as they made the journey.
The funeral procession on Nov. 7 was indeed interrupted by “a hostile crowd” for almost a kilometer “before the group eventually dispersed,” per the release.
The Christians were finally able to hold their funeral in Raipur, the state capital, which was 200 kilometers away.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide President Mervyn Thomas lamented the loss and the hardship that the family endured.
“No family should ever be subjected to such humiliation and danger while carrying out a sacred final rite,” Thomas said in a statement.
“This incident exposes not only a deep-rooted prejudice but also a troubling pattern of administrative failure to protect the rights of India’s most vulnerable tribal Christian citizens,” he continued.
“We call on the state authorities to conduct an impartial enquiry into the matter and take concrete measures to safeguard the constitutional freedom of all communities, ensuring that no one is denied the basic dignity of burying their loved ones.”
Various nonprofits bringing awareness to Christian persecution around the world have noted that Hindu mob violence poses a threat to the church in India, especially as sympathetic government officials refuse to protect Christian communities.
“In India, Hindu extremists view all Christians as outsiders and aim to cleanse the nation of Islam and Christianity, often using extensive violence,” Open Doors said in an analysis.
“This mindset has led to violent attacks across the country and impunity for the people who perpetrate them, especially where the authorities are also Hindu hardliners,” the report added.
“In such places, Christians who attend house churches risk attack by extremist mobs who target services.”
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