Umerkote: Nabarangpur administration and police had to intervene following tension over funeral rites in two villages, where grieving families were denied access to common cremation grounds due to alleged religious conversions.
According to sources, a 70-year-old woman, Raymati Gond, of Dumurimunda, a tribal village under Devgaon panchayat in Raighar block, passed away around 3 pm on Monday. Her family, who reportedly converted to Christianity about three years ago, faced strong opposition from villagers when they tried to use the community cremation ground, traditionally associated with Hindu rites. Some villagers indicated they might reconsider their stance if the deceased’s family returned to Hindu customs.
Tension escalated when some relatives of the deceased, who did not convert, also opposed the use of family’s ancestral land for cremation, prolonging the impasse. Her body kept lying at her home for almost 30 hours as discussions continued well into the night with senior police officers including Umerkote SDPO Suvendu Sabara, Raighar police inspector-in-charge and the tehsildar at the spot.
Later, village panchayat members and administration officials facilitated a conciliation and it was agreed that she will be cremated at land belonging to their family.
In a parallel case reported from Andri village under Kopena Panchayat in Umarkote block, 59-year-old Manik Santa, who had also converted to Christianity, died on Monday evening. Her family encountered similar resistance from villagers over access to the local cremation ground. Umerkote tehsildar Meghban Bag and IIC Bipin Bagh visited the site to resolve the situation.
Notably, the area has been witnessing tension over the proposed relocation of a local church with two platoons of police deployed since February 11 to maintain law and order.
