Chhattisgarh conversion row turns violent in Kanker; 36 people attacked

Tension over religious conversions erupted into violence in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district, when villagers in Hawachur allegedly attacked 36 people returning from church prayers. Several, including women, sustained serious injuries, prompting a police investigation, officials said on Monday.

Hitesh Darro, son of injured Shanti Bai Darro, told The Statesman that the group had gathered for prayers at a local church on Sunday when they were attacked on their way home. “We were targeted because of our faith. The entire village turned on us,” he alleged.

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Simon Digbal Tandi, state secretary of the Rashtriya Christian Morcha, claimed the victims were going about their routine after morning prayers when they were confronted and beaten.

“Shanti Bai Darro and Bisantin Darro are in serious condition. One victim, Jaggeshwar Usendi, has suffered a ruptured eardrum,” he said. The 35 victims from eight families reportedly tried to lodge a complaint at Tadoki police station but no FIR has yet been registered.

Kanker Superintendent of Police I.K. Elesela confirmed that both sides’ claims were being examined. “We are conducting a detailed investigation into the dispute. An FIR will be filed once the preliminary inquiry is complete,” he said.

The incident comes against the backdrop of the BJP-led state government’s proposed amendments to bar Scheduled Tribes who convert from accessing welfare benefits, a move the ruling party says is aimed at ending “dual entitlements” but which the Opposition has criticised as politically motivated.

Local journalist Gaurav Shrivastava notes that the Hawachur assault could become a flashpoint in the wider conflict over religious freedom, minority rights, and the scope of state intervention. The political reverberations are likely to be felt both in the Assembly and in courtrooms, as the battle over Chhattisgarh’s conversion laws enters a sharper phase.