Tension prevailed in Dengaswargi village in Odisha’s Rayagada district after a Catholic chapel was vandalised and sacred religious items were desecrated and burnt by a group of villagers on the evening of March 3.

The incident occurred within the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rayagada and has raised concern among the local Christian community.

Mob damages church property

According to Fr. Abed Kumar Khura, parish priest of the cathedral parish in Rayagada, a large group of tribal Hindu villagers gathered around 7 p.m. and demanded that three Catholic families living in the village come out of their homes.

“The families were frightened and remained inside, fearing they would be assaulted,” the priest said.

When the families refused to step out, the crowd allegedly turned toward a small Catholic church along the village street.

“At around 9 p.m., the mob broke open the church door and entered the building,” Fr. Khura said. “They damaged the altar and the cross and collected sacred articles including the priest’s vestments, Bibles and other religious items. These were taken outside and set on fire.”

The chapel identified as St. Paula Montal Chapel suffered extensive damage during the attack. Parish sources said three statues, a crucifix, liturgical items used during Mass, chairs, Stations of the Cross, a cabinet, and electrical fittings including lights and fans were destroyed.

The attackers also damaged plumbing fixtures, the borewell system and the dome of the church building. Church officials estimated the total loss at around ₹1.93 lakh.

FIR filed after incident

Following the vandalism, Church authorities approached the police. Acting on the advice of Bishop Aplinar Senapati of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rayagada, the affected families filed a First Information Report (FIR) on March 4 at JK Pur Police Station.

A police team later visited the village to assess the situation. The team included Fr. Khura, Fr. Shanti Chandana Pani, Vicar General of the diocese, Fr. Eric Xalco, advocate John Paul and Sujit Nayak.

“When we reached the village, most of the accused were not present,” Fr. Khura said, adding that police also began verifying the legal status of the land where the chapel stands.

Police intervention and inquiry

Later the same evening, a senior police officer representing the district Superintendent of Police arrived in the village to supervise the inquiry. Both parties were asked to appear at Therubali Police Station for further investigation.

Initially, some villagers reportedly refused to cooperate. Police deployed additional personnel to maintain order and warned that those who failed to appear could be brought under police escort.

Eventually, around 180 villagers appeared at the police station along with members of the affected families.

Dispute claims raised during inquiry

During the proceedings, some villagers claimed tensions had existed since the chapel was constructed in 2023.

According to police records cited during the meeting, certain residents had objected to Christian vehicles passing through the village street.

Another issue raised concerned the ownership of the land on which the church stands. Some individuals alleged that the property originally belonged to their grandfather and that all heirs had not been consulted when the chapel was built.

The senior police officer cautioned villagers against taking the law into their own hands.

“Even if there is anger or disagreement, violence cannot be justified. Such matters must be addressed through legal channels,” the officer reportedly told the gathering.

Temporary peace measures

A temporary peace understanding was reached in the presence of police officials, local administrators and representatives of both communities.

Authorities assured protection for the affected Catholic families and maintained police deployment in the village to prevent further tension. Christians were also permitted to continue their prayers and worship.

As part of the temporary arrangements, certain restrictions were placed on vehicle movement through the village street.

Fr. Khura expressed appreciation for the prompt action of the authorities.

“We are grateful to the police administration for their timely response and cooperation,” he said. “Their presence helped prevent the situation from escalating further.”

The FIR registered in the case will proceed under relevant legal provisions and the investigation is ongoing.

Meta Title:
Catholic chapel vandalised in Odisha village, police probe begins

Meta Description:
A Catholic chapel in Odisha’s Rayagada district was vandalised and religious items burnt by a mob. Police have registered an FIR and launched an investigation.

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church vandalism odisha, rayagada diocese incident, religious tension odisha, christian community india, church attack rayagada, catholic chapel vandalised, religious harmony india, newskarnataka