Christian Family in India’s Chhattisgarh Forced to Perform Hindu Funeral Rites

NEW DELHI: A Christian family in India’s Chhattisgarh state was reportedly pressured by villagers to conduct Hindu funeral rites for a deceased relative after they were prevented from carrying out a burial according to their Christian faith, according to The Christian Post.

The incident took place in Nawagaon village of Dhamtari district, where 55-year-old Peonbai Sahu died last Thursday. Her family had embraced Christianity and had been involved in missionary activities for several years, according to the report.

The family had planned to conduct a Christian burial, but villagers objected and reportedly demanded that the funeral follow local Hindu customs.

According to The Christian Post, the family eventually agreed to conduct the funeral according to Hindu rites after a dispute with villagers.

The woman was subsequently cremated under Hindu rituals, followed by a cleansing ceremony at a village temple.

Local pastor Fr. Shibu Roy described the episode as the “height of injustice” and said that similar incidents had become common in the state, according to the report.

Roy also said that poor residents were sometimes pressured into following religious practices and that those responsible often faced little fear of punishment.

Chhattisgarh is governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Christian advocacy groups have repeatedly raised concerns about incidents involving religious minorities in the state.

The Christian Post also referred to incidents in November 2025 in which two other Christian families in Chhattisgarh reportedly faced restrictions on burying relatives in their home villages because of their faith.

In one case, a family seeking to bury a deceased relative on family land was reportedly stopped by villagers. The body was eventually taken to Raipur for burial in a Christian cemetery after the family requested police protection.

Another case reportedly involved villagers blocking the burial of a Christian convert and insisting that funeral rites follow Hindu customs.

The latest incident has renewed discussion over religious freedom and the treatment of Christian communities in parts of India.

The Christian Post cited persecution-monitoring organisations that have raised concerns over anti-Christian incidents in India, including cases involving violence, restrictions on religious practices and disputes over burials.

The circumstances of individual incidents remain subject to local investigations and competing accounts, but rights and religious organisations continue to call for protection of minorities and freedom to practise religious traditions.