خانواده‌های مسیحی در بنگال غربی از سوی یک گروه خشمگین کتک خوردند و به انجام آیین‌های هندویی واداشته شدند

When Mondal called police, officers arrived around 6:30pm but, she said, offered no protection and left soon after, which she believes emboldened the mob. It returned the next day and took Mondal, Bonosree and their husbands to a Durga Puja pandal in Dingal village, where all four were forced to offer pushpanjali, a flower-based Hindu prayer. On October 20, Mondal’s husband was taken to an unknown location and threatened with death unless the family renounced Christianity; he was released hours later, after which police were posted outside the family’s home.

An FIR, no arrests yet

Police filed a First Information Report against 13 people two days after the initial assault, citing criminal trespass, attempted murder, assault with intent to disrobe, theft, criminal intimidation and insulting a woman’s modesty. No arrests had been made as of the latest reports.

Mondal identified the attackers as residents of neighbouring villages associated with Bajrang Dal. Asked about the group’s alleged involvement, a senior police officer said only that the matter was “being looked into.”

Christian leaders in West Bengal say attacks on the community, including church disruptions and vandalism, have intensified since the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in the state. Christian organisations say they have documented at least 13 FIRs and more than 60 such incidents in the state, with action taken in few of them. Christians make up about 0.72% of West Bengal’s population, roughly 650,000 people, according to the 2011 census.∎