On October 9, 2026, an armed mob of roughly 200 activists, reportedly affiliated with groups like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, attacked the annual Santhali Mega Bible Convention Retreat at the Divine Love Retreat Centre near St. Louis Parish Church in Jalalkhali, Nadia district, West Bengal.
Key Details of the Attack
- The Gathering: The four-day spiritual event, scheduled from October 8 to 11, brought together nearly 2,000 indigenous Santhali-speaking Christians. Organizers held valid government permissions and had requested police protection beforehand.
- The Assailants: Around 200 individuals marched toward the church grounds carrying bamboo sticks and bricks, chanting anti-Christian slogans and accusing the gathering of forced religious conversions.
- Vandalism and Violence: Attackers tore down banners, smashed the glass casing of a Divine Mercy statue, cut the power supply, and pelted stones. When local parishioners attempted to protect the premises, they were assaulted with bamboo sticks and bricks.
- Casualties: At least six Catholics were injured during the melee, with some sustaining serious injuries.
- Early Closure: Although police eventually intervened to control the crowd, authorities ordered the organizers to halt the remainder of the convention due to the severe threat to public order and local tension.
Reactions and Condemnations
- Church Authorities: The Catholic Bishops Conference of India and the All India Catholic Union condemned the violence as a direct violation of constitutional guarantees protecting religious freedom. Church officials firmly denied conversion allegations, noting the event was strictly for baptized Catholics.
- International Attention: The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom highlighted the incident on social media, drawing global focus to the rise of mob violence against religious minorities in India.
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