Hindutva activists turn unpaid fees dispute into conversion case, attack pastor’s family in Chhattisgarh

The Chhattisgarh police has been accused of showing leniency towards Bajrang Dal activists who attacked a Christian family running an English-medium school in Kawardha, with widely circulated videos showing the incident, allegedly triggered by a dispute over unpaid student fees and refusal to issue a transfer certificate, which the right-wing groups reportedly framed as an illegal conversion case.

Though the video of the attack is on social media, the police, who witnessed the Bajrang activists unleashing their rage on people gathered for a Sunday church service on 18 May, refused to file an FIR against the assailants; instead, they arrested the principal of the Holy Kingdom School, Pastor Jose Thomas, questioned his wife, and forced the family into hiding after he was granted bail.

The assault occurred at the Holy Kingdom English Higher Secondary School, where a church service was being held on the school premises, when nearly 80 to 100 members of the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad stormed into the compound, according to The Wire report.

Videos from the incident, which have been verified and circulated online, show the mob barging into prayer rooms, shouting “Jai Shri Ram”, assaulting staff and worshippers, including women and minors, and frightening young girls who hid in washrooms during the chaos. Despite the presence of police and media at the scene, the mob acted unchecked, and the police allegedly made no attempt to prevent the violence.

The attackers accused the family of engaging in forced religious conversions, but offered no evidence to support the claim. The victims, however, assert that the allegations are part of a long-running campaign of harassment and extortion that has escalated over the years.

According to the family, this campaign has been enabled by both law enforcement agencies and political actors, and has included previous attacks, fabricated legal charges, and economic coercion.

Following the attack, the school principal, Pastor Jose Thomas, was arrested under unclear charges after being called by the police to review CCTV footage. His phone was allegedly searched without a warrant, and his wife was also questioned. After being granted bail, Pastor Thomas was forced to flee the area by hiding in the boot of a car as Bajrang Dal members surrounded the court premises.

Despite repeated efforts, the family has not been permitted to register an FIR against the assailants, and they allege that senior police officers are acting under political pressure, with specific accusations levelled against BJP leaders, including the district president and the state Home Minister.

The family believes that a dispute involving unpaid school fees was the immediate trigger for the violence, as a local BJP leader had demanded a transfer certificate for a party supporter’s child despite two years of unpaid dues. When the school refused, pressure mounted through protests, threats and demands for money in exchange for dropping the conversion allegations. Though the school eventually issued the certificate under pressure, the threats and attacks continued.