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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Man dies on Bengaluru road of heart attack
Bengaluru (PTI): A 34-year-old mechanic has died after falling off a scooter on his way to a referral hospital, as the medical facility that diagnosed him to have suffered a heart attack did not provide necessary first aid, the family of the deceased claimed.
A CCTV video showing his injured wife pleading with passersby for help while her husband Venkataramanan lay on the road after falling from the two-wheeler on December 13 has gone viral recently.
According to the family, Venkataramanan complained of chest pain, and his wife Roopa rushed him on their scooter from their home in Balaji Nagar around 3.30 am to a private hospital where treatment was denied, citing the non-availability of a doctor, the family said.
Then, she took him to another hospital where ECG was done, which showed him to have suffered a heart attack. However they immediately referred him to the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences. The family alleged that no basic treatment was provided there. On the way to Jayadeva hospital, Venkataramanan allegedly suffered chest pain again and the couple fell off the scooter, the family said.
In the CCTV video, injured Roopa can be seen pleading with passersby to help her husband reach the hospital, but no one responded until a cab driver stopped to check on them. With his help, she reached Jayadeva hospital, where doctors declared Venkataramanan brought dead, the family said. His family later donated his eyes.
