UMERKOTE: A 70-year-old woman was denied cremation in Dumurimunda, a tribal village under Devgaon panchayat in Raighar block of Nabarangpur district, since she had converted to Christianity three years ago.
As Raymati Gond’s body lay at her home for over 29 hours, family members and local authorities scrambled to intervene. Tension gripped the village as residents allegedly refused space in the common cremation ground over her conversion.
Police sources said, the deceased and her family had converted to Christianity three years ago which triggered a stand-off as residents opposed to the conversion refused to permit last rites in the village cremation ground, leading to the impasse. Gond passed away at about 3 pm on Monday.
Efforts by police and local administration failed to break the deadlock. Senior police officers including Umerkote SDPO Suvendu Sabara, Raighar police inspector-in-charge and the tehsildar remained at the spot as discussions continued.
A village meeting was convened to resolve the dispute but tension escalated as even some relatives of the deceased who did not convert opposed the family’s request for cremation on their ancestral land, deepening the crisis.
A similar incident was reported from Kopena village under Umerkote block where the body of 59-year-old Manik Santa, who had converted to Christianity, could not be cremated following her death on April 13.
Villagers reportedly objected to performing last rites at the local crematorium forcing authorities to step in. Umerkote tehsildar Meghban Bag and IIC Bipin Bagh along with police personnel attempted to resolve the situation.
The incident comes close on the heels of tension over the proposed relocation of a local church. Two platoons of police have been deployed in the area since February 11 to maintain law and order.