It was horrific.
On December 26, 2023, in Chhankhanpur village, Odisha, a violent attack took place against Subhasini Singh, a 40-year-old Christian woman, and others during a Christmas luncheon. The assailants, Hindu extremists, accused the group of forced conversions and proceeded to attack them. They beat Gobinda Singh, the host, his family, and Subhasini Singh. Subhasini was particularly brutalized; she was smeared with a Christmas cake, severely beaten, and later stripped of her clothes after losing consciousness. When she regained awareness, she found herself naked and was publicly humiliated.
The violence escalated as the attackers tied Subhasini and another woman, Sukanti Singh, to a tree and continued to beat them, forcing them to chant religious slogans. The assault was filmed and shared on social media, showing the severity of the abuse and the forced involvement of other family members, who were made to strike Subhasini. Despite the excruciating pain and injuries, no adequate medical care was provided. The police, responding to a complaint by the attackers, detained Subhasini and Sukanti on charges of “religious conversion” and related offenses.
Pastor Sadhu Sundar Singh, who was hosting the event, denounced the attack as deliberate, highlighting that the group was simply celebrating Christmas and no conversion was taking place. Despite the attackers’ claims, Gobinda Singh, the host, repeatedly denied the accusations of forced conversion. Following the viral spread of the assault video, authorities arrested seven individuals, including the main accuser, Badal Kumar Panda. Additional charges were filed against several others involved in the attack.
Subhasini Singh, a massage therapist from Mukhapada, had become a Christian in 2017 and had since shared her faith when opportunities arose. The rise in violence against Christians in India has been linked to the increasing influence of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Narendra Modi. Under this government, religious minorities, particularly Christians, have faced growing persecution. India has ranked as one of the most difficult countries for Christians, worsening since Modi’s administration began in 2014.