MUMBAI, India – Two Catholic priests were seized by unknown parties and beaten in western India in the early morning hours of Wednesday, in what many observers see as part of a growing pattern of harassment and assault against Christians in the country.
According to local reports, roughly 12 unidentified assailants wielding sticks forcibly entered St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Tumdegi, a small village in the state of Jharkhand, around 2:30 a.m. on Oct. 1. They looted the church and then attacked the two priests in residence, Father Dean Thomas Soreng, the pastor, and Father Emmanuel Baghwar, his young associate.
Both priests sustained serious injuries and were immediately taken to a nearby health center for medical attention. After receiving treatment, both were eventually released and returned to the presbytery.
Initially it was suggested that theft may have been the motive for the attack, especially given that the attackers reportedly stole roughly $3,400 in cash from the parish. Nevertheless, it’s an explanation that doesn’t sit well with local Catholic leaders.
“We are seriously doubtful that robbery was the only motive. There is a hidden agenda behind robberies and the attacks on the priests. The priests were tied up and mercilessly beaten up, [and] if their intent was only burglary, why we’re our priests beaten up so badly with batons?” said Father Ignatius Tete, vicar general of the Simdega Diocese in which the parish is located.
Tete suggested that resentment of the church’s social works in India may have been behind the assault.
“This is a remote parish with only a private school,” he said. “The Educational and Social apostolate of the Catholic Church is opposed by those who want to keep people crushed, oppressed and dominated.”
The schools, hospitals and social service centers the Catholic Church operates in India, Tete noted, don’t serve only Christians. In fact, most of the beneficiaries are non-Christians, with the majority being Hindus.
“This causes us to be viewed with hostility, because for the Catholic Church we are all children of God, equal in dignity, and we give equal opportunities to all, without discrimination of caste or creed,” Tete said, suggesting that Indian traditionalists who wish to preserve the ancient caste system view the Catholic works with suspicion.
Christians, in tandem with Muslims and other religious minorities in India, have faced increasing difficulties since the rise of a right-wing Hindu nationalist government in the country under Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014. Many observers refer to the resulting push to impose Hindu identity and values on the country as the “saffronization” of India, referring to the traditional color of the robes worn by Hindu sages.
According to watchdog groups, on average there is at least one act of harassment or physical assault directed at Christians in India every other day, making India numerically one of the world’s leading hotspots for anti-Christian persecution.
“While the initial motive appears to be theft, the deliberate targeting of a religious institution raises concerns about communal harmony and the intent to instill fear within the faith community. This incident demands urgent investigation and response,” a local Christian spokesperson said of the Oct. 1 attack.
Christians in the area have made a series of demands in the wake of the incident. They include:
- Immediate identification and arrest of the perpetrators
- Strengthening of security measures around church premises
- Provision of medical and psychological support to the victims
- Assurance of safety and dialogue with the faith community
Local Catholic issued a statement following the attacks.
“We, the Catholic community of Simdega district, strongly condemn this act of violence and violation,” they said. “We appeal to all citizens to maintain peace and unity, and we urge the administration to take swift and just action to prevent such incidents in the future.”