Christian Pastor Describes Violent Assault and Humiliation by Hindu Mob in Odisha
Pastor Bipin Bihari Naik has recounted a harrowing ordeal in which he was violently attacked, forced to consume cow dung, and paraded through his village by a Hindu mob in India's eastern state of Odisha. The incident, which occurred on 4 January 2026, has drawn attention to escalating religious tensions and hate speech targeting minorities across the country.
A Sunday Service Interrupted by Violence
The 35-year-old pastor, who leads an independent Protestant congregation, was conducting Sunday prayers in a house in Dhenkanal district when approximately twelve men armed with sticks forcibly entered. Naik alleges the mob dragged him outside and began beating him in front of his horrified wife and children. When other worshippers attempted to intervene, they too were assaulted, with one woman reportedly struck on the head and left bleeding.
"They pulled me outside and started beating me," Naik told The Independent. "My wife and two children pleaded with them to stop, but they threatened to beat them as well." The attackers accused Naik of carrying out religious conversions, a charge frequently levelled by Hindu right-wing groups against India's Christian minority, which constitutes around 2.3% of the population.
Escalating Humiliation and Police Response
Following the initial assault, the situation deteriorated further. Naik claims he was forced to walk barefoot for about 1.5 kilometres to the village centre, where he was tied up and beaten repeatedly on his face, back, and hands. In a deeply humiliating act, his attackers allegedly mixed cow dung with water in a glass used during church services and attempted to force him to drink it. Cow dung holds religious significance for many Hindus, and its forced consumption is sometimes used as a form of degradation.
The mob then dragged him to a Hanuman temple, dedicated to a Hindu deity, and ordered him to bow before the idol. When he refused, he was kicked to the ground. "They demanded I chant 'Jai Shri Ram', a religious slogan increasingly associated with Hindu nationalism," Naik said. "But I remembered verses from the Bible that strengthened me." He says vermilion powder was smeared on his face and a garland of slippers placed around his neck before he was paraded back and threatened with further violence unless he named congregation members.
Police were called shortly after the assault began but, according to Naik, officers arrived approximately 45 minutes later and left without intervening. "They saw us and we saw them, but they returned saying they didn't see anybody," he alleges. A senior police official for Dhenkanal district has denied allegations of police inaction. Police eventually took Naik from the scene after two hours, but he later discovered a counter-complaint had been registered against him for forcible conversion, which he denies.
Links to Right-Wing Groups and Broader Context
Naik alleges his attackers were linked to the Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the hardline Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), which operates within the wider Sangh Parivar network led by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Police have confirmed they are investigating the mob's "affiliations".
This incident occurs against a backdrop of documented increases in hate speech and violence against religious minorities in India. According to a report by the India Hate Lab, at least 1,318 hate speech events targeting Muslims and Christians were recorded across India last year, averaging four incidents daily. This represents a 13% increase from 2024 and nearly double the 2023 figure. The report found organised right-wing Hindu groups played a prominent role, with the VHP and Bajrang Dal linked to over one-fifth of documented incidents.
Rights groups argue that perpetrators have been emboldened by the BJP's push for "anti-conversion" laws, which the party denies. Ahead of Christmas last year, Hindu vigilante groups attempted to disrupt celebrations in multiple states, with reports of church vandalism and harassment.
Political Reactions and Personal Impact
The attack has provoked strong political responses. India's opposition Congress party described it as a "blot on humanity" and blamed Modi's "hateful and divisive politics". Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal stated such incidents damage the state's peaceful image and constitute grave human rights violations. The BJP accused the opposition of politicising the case, asserting police would act according to the law.
Police Superintendent Abhinav Sonkar told The Independent that at least nine people have been held, an investigation is underway, and they are seeking other suspects. He noted the initial complaint did not mention forced consumption of cow dung, which police first heard about from media reports. Images purporting to show Naik being force-fed dung circulated online but were later confirmed to be AI-generated and not depicting the pastor.
For Naik and his family, the trauma has been profound. "For five days, I was not able to sleep due to trauma," he said. "My family also didn't eat properly, remembering the incident." His two daughters, aged 12 and 14, have stopped attending school after details spread through the village. "We are afraid to go back to that place," he admitted.
Despite threats that his family would be burned alive, Naik remains resolute. "I'm not scared of the people, because God is with me," he says, expressing no intention of leaving his ministry. The case underscores ongoing challenges to religious freedom in India, where constitutional guarantees coexist with rising sectarian tensions.
