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Tension prevailed successful Kapena colony of Odisha’s Nabarangpur territory aft villagers from the Hindu assemblage demanded that a religion beryllium relocated, citing objections to its presence.
“We received a distress telephone connected January 26 from members of the Christian assemblage successful Kapena village, who said they felt threatened aft immoderate villagers asked them to displacement their religion to a distant location, alleging it was obstructing spiritual activities,” said Ramakant Sai, Inspector-in-Charge of Umerkote Police Station, connected Wednesday (January 28, 2026).
Following the complaint, elder territory officials on with constabulary unit rushed to the colony to forestall immoderate untoward incident. Sources said villagers from 3 to 4 neighbouring villages had besides extended enactment to the Kapena residents opposing the church.
“A assemblage gathering was held successful the beingness of representatives from some sides, during which it was decided to support bid and refrain from taking the instrumentality into one’s ain hands. Leaders of the Christian assemblage person assured that they volition instrumentality a determination connected the contented of shifting the religion wrong the adjacent 15 days,” Mr. Sai said.
Police said 2 platoons would stay deployed successful the country arsenic a precautionary measure, peculiarly successful presumption of a seven-day-long yagna oregon havan scheduled to beryllium held successful February, which could perchance escalate tensions betwixt the 2 communities.
A nonmigratory of Kapena colony alleged that determination had been a emergence successful spiritual conversions, starring to family-level disputes. “If anyone wishes to convert, the owed ineligible process, including support from the territory collector, should beryllium followed. Tribal communities should beryllium allowed to practise their ain traditions,” helium said.
The incidental comes amid heightened sensitivity implicit spiritual tensions successful the State. Earlier this month, a pastor successful the Parjang country of Odisha’s Dhenkanal territory was allegedly attacked, paraded with a garland of footwear, and publically humiliated. Police registered an FIR aft the pastor’s woman approached the Superintendent of Police implicit alleged inaction astatine the constabulary presumption level. Nine persons were aboriginal detained.
