CASE STUDY DENIED DIGNIFIED BURIAL
A Christian family was told they could not bury their son in the public cemetery unless they renounced their faith. The boy, Ayush Santa — who was variously reported to be 13 or 14 — died of kidney failure. The standoff occurred in Kapena, Odisha State on Saturday February 14, 2026. The boy’s father, Krutibas Santa said: “We wanted to bury my son in the village burial ground as we have always done. But some Hindu villagers objected and obstructed us.” The family then tried to bury Ayush on their land just over a mile (less than 2km) outside the village. “Even there, we were stopped. The villagers said Christians cannot be buried in Kapena village or even within the village panchayat [district] limits,” said Mr. Santa. Authorities sent more than 40 police officers to the village, but even then the standoff lasted for several hours. Police mediated a settlement between the two parties. It can hardly be said to have favored the Christian family. The family signed an agreement that the burial would occur on the family’s land, without a Christian service or Christian symbols such as a cross on the grave. The burial took place after midnight, in the presence of police, to prevent escalation. “Finally, Ayush Santa was buried without reverence, dignity of a Christian body and without prayers for his soul,” said Bishop Pallab Lima of the Church of North India and head of the ecumenical United Believers Council Network of India. Kapena is a largely tribal village with around 200 residents, of which more than 30 families belong to the local Pentecostal Church. According to Mr. Santa tensions started escalating in January 2026. The church was attacked by a mob on January 25,
two Christians were forcibly taken to a temple and assaulted and villagers threatened to expel around 30 Christian families from the village if they did not renounce their faith. He said that was the beginning of the troubles and subsequently Hindu villagers have demanded the demolition of the existing church. “They told us to find separate land for our church. As per police instructions, one of our members donated a registered land outside the village to construct a prayer house. But the villagers are opposing that as well.” Krutibas Santa said the tension only began after outsiders started coming to the village and whipping up the Hindu villagers against them. “We have been Christians for more than 30 years, even from my grandfather’s time. We lived peacefully, participated in village functions, and practiced our faith without conflict. Why are we now denied our right to profess and practice our religion?” Sources Sr. Sujata Jena, “Burial Denied to 14-Year-Old Christian Boy; Hindu Tribals Threaten to Demolish Church in Kapena Village,” Catholic Connect , February 16, 2026 https://catholicconnect.in/ news/burial-denied-to-14-year-old-christian-boy-hindu-tribals- threaten-to-demolish-church-in-kapena-village Michael Gonsalves, “Tribal boy denied Christian burial in India over refusal to renounce faith,” UCAN , February 16, 2026 https://www.ucanews.com/news/tribal-boy-denied-christian- burial-in-india-over-refusal-to-renounce-faith/111921 [Both sites accessed 06/03/26].
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