On August 25, 2008, Hindu extremists in the Kandhamal district of Odisha (then Orissa), India, carried out widespread violence against Christians. The riots, which lasted for four days, resulted in hundreds of Christian deaths, the destruction of 600 villages and over 400 churches, and the displacement of approximately 75,000 people.
According to reports, over 100 Christian women were subjected to mass sexual assault, and dozens of families were burned alive. Thousands of Christians were allegedly forced to convert to Hinduism.
The Economic Times identified Bajrang Dal, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and Vishva Hindu Parishad as central figures in the riots. Frontline reported that state sponsorship and police inaction forced 50,000 Christians to seek refuge in forests.
In one incident in Naga village, 40 extremists allegedly gang-raped a Christian nun, but all were later acquitted due to lack of evidence.
Human Rights Watch, the European Union, and the United States, among others, strongly condemned the state-sponsored massacre of Christians.
Despite 16 years passing, critics argue that the current government under Prime Minister Modi has been reluctant to prosecute the accused for political reasons.
