As attacks against the Christian community have increased across the country, a pastor from Odisha’s Dhenkanal district was brutally assaulted, forced to chant Jai Sree Ram, and made to eat cow dung by members of the Bajrang Dal, his wife alleged.
The incident, which took place on January 4 (Sunday), came to light recently. Pastor Bipin Bihari Naik, along with his wife and a few others, was attending a prayer meeting at a house in Parjang village when a mob of around 40 people gathered outside.
Speaking to Maktoob, Vandana, Naik’s wife, who was present at the prayer meeting, said the mob asked Naik to come outside the house. When he told them he would do so after the prayer was completed, the mob forcibly entered the house.
“They started beating everyone inside the house. Besides us, there were seven families who were praying with us. My children and I managed to run out of the house and rushed through a narrow alley towards the nearest police station,” Vandana said.
Bipin, who was the main target, was not spared. According to Naik, he was dragged outside and beaten on every part of his body. He was continuously slapped and beaten with sticks by the crowd. Red sindoor was smeared all over his face, and a garland of slippers was placed around his neck.
Along with Bajrang Dal members and some villagers, Naik was dragged and paraded throughout the village. This continued for nearly two hours.
Meanwhile, Vandana was at the police station, pleading with officers to rescue her husband. “It was only after nearly two hours that the police reached the village,” she said.
Vandana added that despite her repeated requests, the police initially misled her, claiming there was no one in the village. However, when she insisted on accompanying them to the location, what they witnessed was horrific.
“My husband was tied to a Hanuman temple in the village. Both his hands were tied behind a rod. He was forced to consume cow dung and was bleeding badly. People were slapping him and forcing him to chant Jai Sree Ram,” she said.
However, the FIR accessed by Maktoob states that Naik was forced to drink drain water, while his wife repeated the claim that he was forced to consume cow dung.
