Odisha church leaders criticize police for not arresting cow vigilantes who assaulted two Catholic brothers, while Punjab leaders denounce minister’s anti-Christian remarks.
Newsroom (27/08/2025, Gaudium Press ) Church leaders in India’s eastern Odisha state have sharply criticized local police for failing to arrest suspected cow vigilantes accused of brutally assaulting two elderly Catholic tribal brothers in Telenadihi village, Sundargarh district, on August 19. The attack, which left Philip Soren, 66, with a deep thigh wound and fractured ribs, and his brother Johan Soren, 55, with multiple hand fractures, has sparked outrage among Christian communities, who see it as part of a broader pattern of targeted violence.
The brothers were allegedly attacked by a mob of around 15 people while transporting bulls to a buyer, accused of cattle smuggling—a charge often leveled by self-styled cow vigilantes linked to Hindu nationalist groups. According to medical reports, the assailants used wooden sticks, fists, and kicks to inflict severe injuries. Divine Word Father Ashok Minj, a priest in the village, told UCA News on August 27 that despite the victims filing a complaint and submitting video evidence of the attack, no arrests have been made. “Shockingly, police have not yet arrested the culprits, although they are identified and are known cow vigilantes in the locality,” Minj said.
The police initially refused to register the complaint, only relenting on August 23 after intervention from the district police chief’s office. However, Minj alleged that the Lephripada police “diluted” the complaint, omitting serious charges to shield the perpetrators, who are reportedly supported by Hindu groups aligned with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Philip Soren recounted to UCA News that the attack began when two local men, Pintu and Mantu Luhura, stopped them to question their destination. After a brief phone call, a larger group arrived on motorcycles, hurling abuses and attacking the brothers with sticks. Father Ajay Kumar Singh, a lawyer and priest from the Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, noted that the brothers were selling their bulls to fund medical treatment for a family member. He condemned the assault as a violation of their constitutional rights to freedom of movement and trade, warning that the “impunity the attackers enjoy emboldens them to commit more violence against Christians.”
Thomas Minj, national treasurer of the All India Catholic Union, described the incident as part of a calculated effort by Hindu nationalist groups to intimidate and displace Christians in pursuit of a Hindu-centric nation. “We will mobilize our people, as we did last week, if the culprits are not arrested,” he told UCA News, referencing a recent protest where 10,000 Christians marched in two Odisha cities against rising anti-Christian violence.
Meanwhile, in northern Punjab, Christian leaders have condemned federal minister Ravneet Singh Bittu for inflammatory remarks made on August 17, praising the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the BJP, for its efforts against Maoist insurgents and vowing to “bring back Sikhs who had converted to Christianity” within five years. In a joint statement on August 25, Christian leaders called Bittu’s comments a violation of India’s constitutional guarantee of religious freedom, demanding a public apology.
“While respecting the minister’s office, we cannot stay silent when fundamental rights and decades of service are mischaracterized,” the statement read. It highlighted the contributions of Christian institutions in Punjab, including schools and hospitals, which have served diverse communities without legal violations. The statement also noted the legacy of Amrit Kaur, India’s first health minister and a Punjabi Christian educated in church-run institutions.
Sanwar Bhatti, president of the United Church of Northern India Trust Association, accused the RSS of fomenting ethnic unrest in states like Manipur and Chhattisgarh. “RSS now wants to divide peace-loving people in Punjab on the basis of caste, creed, and religion,” he told UCA News on August 26. Despite Punjab’s history of interfaith harmony—home to 60% Sikhs, 37% Hindus, and 1.26% Christians—recent incidents, including a June 2023 allegation of forced conversions and an August 31 attack on a church, signal growing tensions fueled by anti-Christian propaganda.
Rights groups have long accused RSS-affiliated outfits of targeting minorities, including Christians and Muslims, with violence and misinformation. As India grapples with rising religious polarization, Christian leaders in Odisha and Punjab are calling for accountability, urging authorities to uphold constitutional protections and curb vigilante violence.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from UCAN News
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