Orissa: 13-year-old Christian denied burial in cemetery

In a village in the district of Nabarangpur, the family was prevented from performing funeral rites for 20 hours. They were only able to bury him on their own land, but without religious symbols. The incident is linked to a dispute over a prayer hall. Local Christians are outraged, authorities try to mediate.

Bhubaneswar (AsiaNews) - In Orissa, tensions are running high over the burial of a 13-year-old Christian boy who died on Saturday in Kapena, a predominantly tribal village in the district of Nabarangpur, where a dispute over a Christian prayer hall was already underway.

Krutibas Santa, a native of Kapena and member of the Christian community, lost his son after a long kidney illness in the early hours of 14 February. Other villagers blocked access to the cemetery, preventing the family from performing funeral rites there.

Only in the evening, following the intervention of the district administration and the police, almost 20 hours after the death, did they agree to allow the burial on land owned by the family. However, Krutibas had to sign a statement pledging not to place religious symbols on the gravestone and to maintain peace and order in the village.

According to the bereaved family, some villagers also insisted that they renounce their faith or leave the village.

The incident follows a previous one on 25 January, when some residents claimed that a group of people entered the building used as a church at around 9 a.m., disrupted the prayers and ordered about 30 Christian tribal families to renounce their faith. Faced with their objections, the troublemakers reportedly locked the church from the outside and forced everyone to leave.

After that incident, the district administration organised a peace meeting involving both groups in an attempt to resolve the situation. However, the dispute over the burial now casts a new shadow over the reconciliation efforts.

The Christian community has expressed strong indignation at the way in which the body of a 13-year-old boy was allegedly held and at the imposition of a conditional agreement.

"Is there no place in a state minister's constituency to bury a 13-year-old child? Is there no permanent solution from the administration to stop this repeated harassment of minorities? Why are innocent people being misled for political gain? The National Christian Front has warned that if adequate measures are not taken immediately for the funeral rites of the deceased child, it will take to the streets to protest," said Pallab Lima, president of the National Christian Front.

The administration has called on both communities to remain calm. Police presence in the village has been strengthened as a preventive measure, while authorities continue dialogue with both sides.

• India
• Orissa
• Christians
• burials