A Christian family in India’s Chhattisgarh state was pressured by villagers into conducting Hindu funeral rites for a dead relative after residents refused to allow a burial under her own faith. Peonbai Sahu, 55, a divorcee living in her brother’s home in Dhamtari district’s Nawagaon village, died Thursday, UCA News reported. Her family had embraced Christianity and done missionary work for years. Villagers alleged the family had stayed away from village traditions.
Umesh Sahu, the deceased’s brother, was quoted as saying that the family’s Christian ties went back about eight years. “During my sister’s funeral, a dispute arose in the village. In the meeting, we were asked to stay with the community, and we agreed.” The family had planned a Christian burial, though villagers objected.
Villager Babu Ram was quoted as saying that Nawagaon, home to about 1,200 people, treats funerals as a communal duty that this family had skipped for years. The funeral could go forward only under Hindu rites. After several hours, the Christian family agreed and promised to stay connected with the community. The woman was cremated under Hindu rites, followed by a “cleansing” ritual at the village temple to bring the family back into the fold.
A local pastor, Fr. Shibu Roy, called the episode “the height of injustice,” saying “even the dead are not spared.” He said such incidents have become common in the state. The state, governed by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, has a reputation as a hub of anti-Christian persecution, including violent attacks on Christians and their institutions. Roy said those who coerce poor residents into religious practices often resort to violence and are rarely punished.
The state’s Christian population is less than 2% of its roughly 30 million people.