Odisha Police accused of desecrating church,assaulting tribals during raid: Fact-finding team report
Gajapati: A fact-finding team consisting of seven advocates and a social activist has alleged serious misconduct by Odisha police, including the desecration of a church, assault on tribal women and minors, and destruction of property during a raid in Juba village, Mohana Tehsil, Gajapati district in late March.
The team visited the village on April 9 and reported that police personnel entered the church premises without a warrant, disrupted Sunday mass preparations by Kondh Adivasi women and children, and vandalised church property. The team claimed this is the first documented police attack on a Christian church in the state.
The incident reportedly occurred on March 22 and was allegedly linked to a raid concerning marijuana cultivation. According to the team, two young tribal women were assaulted inside the church and dragged to a police vehicle. Minor girls who sought help from priests were also affected. A Sabar tribal woman who intervened was allegedly beaten and had her clothes torn.
Further allegations include police transporting women and children from nearby villages and abandoning them at a distance, seizing mobile phones which remain unreturned, and violating provisions under various laws, including the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The report also claims that two Catholic priests were physically assaulted and falsely accused of illegal religious conversions, with one sustaining serious injuries. Additionally, Rs 40,000 was allegedly taken from their residence. Several homes were ransacked, with reports of damaged motorcycles, household goods, and food supplies.
The fact-finding team emphasised the socio-economic vulnerability of the region. Gajapati district ranks low on the Human Development Index, with high tribal and Christian populations, low literacy rates—especially among women—and poor infrastructure. Mohana block, where the alleged incident occurred, is one of Odisha’s most underdeveloped areas.
Despite the seriousness of the allegations, no First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered even 20 days after the incident. Complaints have reportedly been submitted to the Superintendent of Police, but no formal response has been received.
The team attributed the violence to communal and caste-based bias within the police force and called for legal action under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the POCSO Act, and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. Recommendations included diversifying police recruitment, mandatory human rights training, and increased media attention on violations affecting marginalised communities.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Poet Yahya Bootwala slams makers of Akshay Kumar's 'Kesari 2' for 'stealing' his work as dialogue
Mumbai: Popular poet Yahya Bootwala has accused the makers of Akshay Kumar’s ‘Kesari 2’ of plagiarising lines from one of his poems without permission or credit.
In a post shared on Instagram, Bootwala pointed out striking similarities between a dialogue delivered by actor Ananya Panday in the film and his poem titled ‘Jallianwala Bagh’ which was published five years ago on the YouTube channel UnErase Poetry. He also shared video clips comparing the two.
‘As writers, the worst thing you can do to a fellow writer is to pick up their material, blatantly use it without giving credits, and this is what I feel dialogue writer @sumit.saxena.35912 has done,” Bootwala wrote in a strongly-worded statement.
Calling it a “clear copy paste,” he accused the makers of openly using his lines without any attempt to modify the material.
While he acknowledged that people’s thoughts and thinking patterns can be similar, Bootwala stressed that writing almost the same lines on a particular topic is not a coincidence.
“Next time you can directly get in touch with me, main likh dunga original dialogues aapke liye,” remarked Bootwala.
The poet requested his fans and followers to amplify his voice, urging them to tag prominent names associated with the film, including Karan Johar, director Karan Singh Tyagi, and actors Akshay Kumar and Ananya Panday. “If you’ve ever connected with my work, help this reach them,” he wrote.
