A dispute over burial practices between members of the tribal community and those who have converted to Christianity in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh has continued to escalate. A few days ago, members of the tribal community vandalised a church, and now an incident of arson has been reported at the Sheetla Mata temple in a village of the district.
According to media reports, on Saturday (19 December 2025), unidentified individuals entered the temple and set fire to the idols’ platforms and other religious items. The police have registered a case and initiated an investigation. The village sarpanch where the arson took place alleged that the act was carried out by people who do not follow local traditions and expressed suspicion towards those who have converted to another faith.
Earlier, on 18 December, tensions between the tribal community and the converted Christian community in Bade Tevda village under the Amabeda area of Kanker district turned violent over the issue of burial practices. A physical clash broke out between the two sides, rapidly worsening the situation.
According to information available, after the death of his father, Chamra Ram Salam, the village sarpanch Rajman Salam, who has reportedly converted to Christianity, allegedly disregarded tribal customs and buried his father on land traditionally used by the tribal community for last rites in accordance with their rituals.
As soon as news of the burial spread, there was widespread anger among members of the tribal community. Terming it a violation of their traditions and social norms, they demanded that the administration exhume the body. Protests continued for two days over this demand, but when no concrete action was taken, tensions escalated and the agitation gradually turned violent.
The situation deteriorated further when members of the tribal community allegedly set fire to a church in the village. As news of the incident spread, a large number of people from surrounding areas gathered in Amabeda. Reports suggest that a crowd of over 3,000 people assembled, following which another church in Amabeda was also set ablaze. More than 20 people, including police personnel, were injured in the violence.
