Christian couple beaten and threatened in Karnataka State

A Christian couple was violently beaten and warned that they would be killed if they continued to practice their faith in Uppaladinni, Basavana Bagewadi Municipality, Bijapur District, in India’s Karnataka State on 10 January.

Vijayalakshmi Chavhan (29) and her husband Ashok Chavhan (age unknown) were attacked the day after Mrs Chavhan was falsely accused of forced conversion in rumours spread to several media organisations across Karnataka.

Mrs Chavhan is an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA), a government accredited community level healthcare worker whose work involves going door to door to raise awareness about basic healthcare. Sources in the village told CSW that some villagers objected to the fact that a Christian woman was allowed to enter their houses and had threatened her family and tried to get her fired from her job.

After the allegations of forced conversion went viral on 9 January, other Christians in Uppaladinni filed a complaint at the Basavana Bagewadi Municipal Police Station. The next day the police brought the villagers and the couple to the village centre to resolve the situation. When Mrs Chavhan was handed a microphone to share her grievance, a mob of approximately 300 people proceeded to attack the couple. Police attempted to intervene, but CSW sources suggest that they did not do so with enough force to prevent the attack.

A First Information Report (FIR), which is required for the police to open an investigation, was registered against the perpetrators in the Basavana Bagewadi police station on 11 January. Six men – Ravi Dharappa Lamani, Suresh Shivappa Lamani, Rajashekhar Shankhar Lamani, Punita Shankhar Lamani, Parasu Ratnappa Lamani and Dhanasing Shivappa Lamani – were named in the report. All belong to the Banjara community (a semi-nomadic indigenous tribe).

Three other Christian families from Uppaladinni who attend the same church as Mr and Mrs Chavhan have also been harassed this month. On 3 January, the community chief directed local utility services to cut off the electricity and water supply for these families. The families were subsequently publicly warned that they would be killed if they continued to follow Jesus.

The families were without basic services for at least four days. After police spoke with the community chief and several others who had been harassing the Christians, the assailants wrote a letter stating that they would stop, but CSW sources report that the harassment of Mrs Chavhan and her family began the next day. Although the police have now assured Mrs Chavhan that she will not be fired from her job, she continues to receive death threats.

CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: ‘CSW is concerned for the Christians in Uppaladinni who have been singled out, harassed and attacked on account of their beliefs. We urge the police to thoroughly carry out their investigation against the perpetrators who assaulted Mr and Mrs Chavhan and ensure that all of the attackers are brought to justice. This is part of a growing trend of social hostility towards religious minorities across India which the authorities must address as a matter of utmost urgency.’