Christian teenager forced to chant Hindu slogan by mob in Indian state

Christian leaders in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh have voiced deep concern after a teenage Christian boy was allegedly assaulted by a Hindu mob and forced to chant Jai Shri Ram — a slogan hailing the Hindu god Ram often invoked during attacks on minorities.

A video of the incident, reportedly from Champa district, was shared on social media on March 18. It shows the teenager being grabbed by his collar, slapped, and forced to chant the slogan. Frightened and outnumbered, he complies even as the mob assaults him amid the chanting of the slogan.
The video sparked outrage online, with many — including non-Christians — expressing outrage over religious coercion and the safety of minorities in the state ruled by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Police in Champa, when contacted by UCA News, said they were not aware of the incident and that no formal complaint had been made to them.

It is a matter of concern. We are hearing about such attacks on Christians with worrying regularity these days, Kamal Kujur, president of the Rashtriya Christian Morcha, a national Christian forum, said.

Kujur, a Christian lay leader, told UCA News on March 19 that incidents like these raise renewed concerns about the safety of Christians and their institutions in Chhattisgarh.

We hope and pray that the local authorities will act swiftly and ensure that peace prevails, the tribal leader added.

Kujur said Christians in the state are already anxious over the Chhattisgarh State Cabinet clearing the Freedom of Religion Bill on March 11, a move aimed at cracking down on religious conversion.

The proposed legislation, the BJP government claims, builds on existing provisions in the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act 2003, with harsher penalties against forced conversions, especially those involving women and minors through force, fraud, inducement, or through marriage with particular emphasis on protecting tribal communities.

Christians in the state are concerned that the new law could encourage vested interests, such as those behind the latest incident, once it is passed in the state legislative assembly, he said.

Binay Lakra, a Christian activist based in the Chhattisgarh capital, Raipur, said there is a growing anxiety within the Christian community with increasing reports of violence and intimidation targeting its members.
In January, two Christian families in Narayanpur district were accused of conversion activities, beaten by a mob, and forced to flee their homes.

In another case in May, a Christian family running a school in Kawardha, in Kabirdham district, was attacked by a mob during a Sunday service, forcing them into hiding.

Around the same time, in Dantewada district, at least 14 Christians were reportedly assaulted with wooden sticks after they refused to renounce their faith.

Lakra noted there have been multiple reports of Christian homes being targeted, with families allegedly threatened and pressured to abandon their beliefs.

Together, these accounts paint a picture of a community living under increasing strain, where fear, displacement, and uncertainty have become part of daily life for many, he added.

Chhattisgarh recorded 165 incidents targeting Christians in 2024 — the second highest in the country, according to the United Christian Forum, an ecumenical group that records cases of Christian persecution.

A report by the Evangelical Fellowship of India Religious Liberty Commission noted that between January and July 2025, there were 86 cases of what it described as the systematic targeting of Christians in the state. This again placed Chhattisgarh second nationally, after Uttar Pradesh.

Christians make up less than 2 percent of Chhattisgarh’s population of around 30 million. The small size of the minority makes it particularly vulnerable in times of tension.

This article was originally published on https://www.ucanews.com/amp/christian-teenager-forced-to-chant-hindu-slogan-by-mob-in-indian-state/112391