Church leaders in Odisha raise alarm over the disappearance of the Kandhamal riots inquiry report from the Chief Minister’s Office.
Newsroom (12/06/2026 Gaudium Press ) Church leaders in eastern India’s Odisha state have expressed deep concern after crucial documents, including a key inquiry report into the 2008 anti-Christian Kandhamal riots, reportedly went missing from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
The alarm was triggered after Sarat Chandra Marandi, joint secretary in Odisha’s Home Department, filed a First Information Report (FIR) in state capital Bhubaneswar on June 10. The complaint alleged that important documents disappeared during the transition of power following the 2024 state elections. An FIR is a formal police complaint used in India to initiate a criminal investigation.
According to Marandi’s statement, the circumstances surrounding the disappearance “raise reasonable suspicion that the documents may have been intentionally removed, concealed, destroyed, or otherwise unlawfully handled.” The missing materials include records from the previous administration, notably the report of the Justice A. S. Naidu Commission. The commission was tasked with investigating the murder of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and the subsequent communal violence that engulfed Kandhamal district in 2008.
The political backdrop has added further complexity to the issue. Odisha is currently governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which came to power in 2024 after defeating the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), a regional secular party that had ruled the state for over two decades. The BJP has accused the former BJD government of failing to safeguard critical state records. In response, the BJD has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated, claiming the new administration is attempting to divert attention from its own shortcomings.
For many within the Christian community, however, the situation transcends political rivalries. “This is deeply alarming,” said Father Ajay Kumar Singh, a Catholic priest and social activist in Odisha. He noted with particular concern that there was reportedly only one hard copy of the commission’s report, which has now gone missing. “This raises serious questions and points to possible foul play,” he added.
Father Singh also warned that the absence of the original document could undermine confidence in any available digital versions. Without the primary source, verifying authenticity and completeness becomes a challenge, potentially weakening the report’s evidentiary value.
Echoing these concerns, Bishop Pallab Lima, president of the United Believers Council Network India, questioned how such a significant document could vanish without accountability. “It’s a billion-dollar question,” Lima said, suggesting the possibility of a deliberate conspiracy. He further criticized successive governments for failing to adequately address the aftermath of the Kandhamal violence, which remains deeply embedded in the collective memory of the Christian community.
The Kandhamal riots, triggered by the killing of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati on August 23, 2008, marked one of the most severe incidents of anti-Christian violence in India’s recent history. Christian groups have consistently maintained that their community was unfairly blamed for the murder, despite later claims of responsibility by Maoist rebels.
The violence that followed extended for nearly seven weeks, leaving a devastating toll. According to rights groups and church organizations, around 100 people were killed, more than 56,000 displaced, approximately 6,000 homes destroyed, and over 300 churches and Christian institutions attacked. Survivors faced not only immediate loss but long-term displacement and socio-economic hardship.
Justice A. S. Naidu, the retired High Court judge who led the commission, has also voiced concern over the missing report. Speaking to media on June 11, he emphasized the document’s significance, noting that it spanned over 1,500 pages across two volumes. “It contained sensitive findings and recommendations,” he said, adding that there had been only one official copy. He suggested it may have been “misplaced,” though the exact circumstances remain unclear.
Justice Naidu further pointed out that the report was intended to be presented before both the state Cabinet and the Legislative Assembly for discussion—an essential step in ensuring accountability and implementing preventive measures against future communal violence.
The disappearance of the report has raised broader concerns about transparency, governance, and the preservation of historical records in a state still grappling with the legacy of communal conflict. For many victims and their families, the report represents more than just documentation; it is a symbol of justice, recognition, and the hope of preventing such tragedies in the future.
Christians constitute approximately 2.77 percent of Odisha’s 42 million population, with more than 90 percent identified as Hindus and indigenous communities. Despite being a minority, the Christian community continues to seek acknowledgment and resolution of past injustices.
As investigations into the missing documents proceed, church leaders and civil society groups are calling for accountability and a thorough probe to ensure that the truth behind both the disappearance and the events of 2008 is not lost.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from UCA News
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