Five Christian families have been forced from their home village in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh after other villagers, including the town council, turned on them.
Trouble began on 11 June when three young men disrupted a Christian wedding celebration, claiming that Christian celebrations were not permitted in the village and even cutting off the electricity supply.
The groom's family attempted to have the electricity restored but were met by 30 more villagers outside the wedding venue. The mob set the building on fire and smashed up vehicles.
The mob also tore the clothes of some of the female guests and threw stones at their children. The Christians were forced to retreat to the shelter of a nearby house. Fortunately the police arrived in good time, dispersed the mob and took the Christians to safety.
However, things did not end there. The Christians filed a complaint with the police against the mob, who in turn filed their own complaint, accusing the groom’s family of provoking them.
Two days after the initial incident, the village council demanded the Christians withdraw their complaint and hold no more events, including funerals. The groom’s family agreed due to the threat that their water supply would be cut off.
Despite agreeing to such terms, the mob was not satisfied and attacked the brother and father of the groom as well as another Christian. In the end five Christian families have been forced to flee to a neighbouring village, leaving their farmland and livestock behind.
Mervyn Thomas, Founder President of Christian Solidarity Worldwide said of the case, “The violent disruption of a Christian wedding in Raipur is a concerning reminder of the growing vulnerability of religious minorities in rural India.
"The targeted attack, the pressure to withdraw legal complaints and the forced displacement of families highlight both the immediate threat to their safety and the systemic failure to uphold their constitutional rights.”
Thomas added a demand that the Indian authorities investigate the incident and do all they can to protect the victims and ensure they are returned safely to their home.
