Bengal: Christian burial disrupted, mourners allegedly assaulted by mob linked to Hindutva groups

A burial was disrupted and mourners allegedly assaulted by a mob purportedly associated with Hindutva groups at a church in Sahanagar town of Purba Bardhaman district in Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled West Bengal on August 14, The Indian Express reported on Saturday.

Parish Priest-in-Charge Father Samuel Hembrom of St Claret Church told the newspaper that the mob forced the body, which had already been lowered into the grave, to be taken out. The body was later taken to another cemetery in Bardhaman town, he said.

Hembrom said the mob had demanded to see the “papers for the burial ground”.

“We said give us some time to get them from the church…we protested,” The Indian Express quoted him as saying. “But they did not allow the burial.”

Hembrom alleged that he sent a complaint by email to the superintendent of police and the block development officer but “nothing happened”.

Purba Bardhaman Superintendent of Police Pushpa told The Indian Express that the woman who died “did not belong to the area”, prompting locals to object to the burial.

The police officer said that the residents had also claimed that the land was a private property and not a cemetery, adding that the land records were being checked.

Pushpa also dismissed reports about the assault on mourners.

“I don’t think there was an assault,”...

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