Bhubaneswar: More than two weeks after a pastor was allegedly assaulted and publicly humiliated by a mob in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district over claims of forced religious conversion, police have detained four individuals for questioning.
According to sources, the incident took place on January 4 at Parjang village where Pastor Bipin Bihari Naik was reportedly invited to a private residence to offer prayers for a local resident’s health. While the prayer meeting was underway, a mob of 15-40 people allegedly stormed the house armed with sticks, assaulted the pastor and others present, and subjected him to severe humiliation.
According to the complaint filed by the pastor’s wife, Bandana Naik of Kandarsinga village, the attackers smeared red sindoor (vermilion) on his face, garlanded him with slippers, paraded him through the village streets, forced him to bow before a temple, and compelled him to drink drain water.
Based on the written complaint, Parjang police registered a case on January 13, under Sections 191(2), 191(3), 126(2), 115(2), 351(2) and 190 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
“We have already examined the eyewitnesses. Bipin Naik has undergone a medical check-up. All necessary details have been collected during the course of the investigation. So far, four people have been detained. Further inquiry into the matter is on,” Dhenkanal SP Abhinav Sonkar told the media, without elaborating.
The case has sparked political controversy and drawn reactions from multiple parties.
The Congress party condemned the episode on X as “a new low” alleging the pastor was forced to eat cow dung — a claim the SP denied, noting no such allegation appeared in the official complaint.
The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) also described the incident as unfortunate. Party spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said it was not reflective of Odia Asmita and warned that such acts damage the state’s peaceful image and constitute serious human rights violations, urging swift action from the “double-engine” BJP-led government.
In response, BJP state media in-charge Sujit Das accused the opposition of politicising the issue, emphasising that law enforcement would act impartially “without fear or favour.
