UMERKOTE: Family members of a 32-year-old woman, who died on Friday, blocked the State Highway-39 after they were denied to bury her at the local cemetery. Communication was disrupted on the road for about four hours.
The deceased Pushpanjali Bagh, a resident of Dongri street in Nabarangpur town, had recently converted to Christianity and did not have her name registered in the JELC church. Family members alleged that the local Christians did not allow the burial of those who did not register themselves at the church.
The situation reportedly worsened when Bagh’s family members were not allowed to cremate her at another cemetery meant for the Hindus. The family members tried sorting the matter with the Umerkote tehsil office but since none came to their rescue, they blocked the Umerkote-Raipur road. Nabarangpur Christians Minority secretary Gourab Kaunri informed that there was no cemetery for converted Christians. The problem would be solved if a separate cemetery especially for the converted lot was made on government land, he added.
“A land was allotted on the day to the converted Christians for cremation purpose following which the agitators cleared the road,” said Umerkote tehsildar G Jagmohan Choudhury.