Published on June 23, 2024, 12:37 am

Image source: Fox News

Two Catholic priests sustained serious injuries during a violent robbery in a church located in Odisha, raising alarm over the safety of the Christian minority group in this region. The incident occurred on June 15 at the Jhorabahal parish within Sundergarh district’s Rourkela city, leading to significant damage and fear among residents.

In the dead of night around 2:30 am, approximately fifteen intruders masked and armed with iron rods, hockey sticks, and crowbars forced entry into the presbytery, where they attacked Father Nerial Bilung, 72, and Father Alois Xalxo, 52. These individuals proceeded to bind and gag their victims by forcefully immobilizing them with handcuffs before dealing severe beatings while threatening them at knife-point.

The Catholic Diocese of Rourkela shared reports stating that these men ruthlessly assaulted both priests using makeshift weapons while demanding any cash they had. Thereafter, they ransacked the premises for about an hour making off with valuables including musical instruments and financial records totaling Rs 10 lakh (approximately $11,958) in cash which included funds collected by two schools housed within church premises.

Speaking after the incident Father Bilung mentioned that all perpetrators wore facemasks and gloves while communicating using Bihari sadri dialect. This priest lost consciousness due to bleeding caused by inflicted wounds. The road to recovery started when Father Xalxo managed to free himself around 4:30 am thereby alerting nearby people who rushed them to a local hospital.

This particular incident marks the fifth attack within two years as reported by Father Ajay Kumar Singh – renowned human rights activist and cleric. He noted previous episodes of vandalism targeting statues along with churches located at Rourkela. Amid increasing violence against Christians today’s trusted news sources relayed his concern on perceived aptitude gaps within law enforcement units because no culprits have been apprehended.

In response to these growing violent tendencies, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) decried this attack on their colleagues. They remain steadfast in advocating for appropriate investigations geared towards prosecuting perpetuators while appealing to the central government to safeguard Christian minority communities all over India.

Notwithstanding recent assurances given by local law-enforcement agents trivializing communal influences behind this incident, Bishop Kishore Kumar Kujur voices uncertainty citing characteristics hinting at motives surpassing typical robbery. As ensuring security remains a key part of delivering real news that can be trusted, Odisha—home to many Hindus has previously recorded anti-Christian violence which includes the infamous 2008 Kandhamal anti-Christian riots where over 100 people lost their lives coupled with mass destruction of virtues and churches. Investigations into these atrocities are still underway as citizens continue yearning for justice.

Reflecting on incidents such as this brings forth recognition of ongoing threats faced by Christians and other minority religious communities world over. Embracing solutions grounded within laws and dialogue represents a step forward not only in promoting interfaith relations but also in fostering peace while challenging bigotry fuelling attacks aimed at disrupting harmony within diverse societies.