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.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
