By Matters India Reporter
Kolkata, September 21, 2026: Within the span of a single day, two house churches in West Bengal were attacked by aleged vigilante mobs, leaving believers battered, sacred texts desecrated, and communities shaken.
The incidents in the Barrackpore region of the North 24 Parganas and in Purba Medinipur, two districts in West Bengal have sparked outrage among Christians, who see in them a disturbing pattern of intimidation and state indifference.
On September 19, as eight believers gathered at the home of Puja Satyaki at Billa Depot in the Mohanpur Police Station of Barrackpore, a mob armed with iron rods stormed in.
“They tore our Bibles, smashed our hymn books, and beat us without mercy,” recalled Arpita Sardar, one of the three women dragged to the police station. “We were treated like criminals, even though we were the victims.”
Witness Sanjit Sardar described the chaos: “They came shouting, drunk and armed. We had no chance to resist. It was pure terror.”
Though police conducted medical tests and registered an official complaint, survivors reported they were denied copies of the document and medical reports. Outside the station, a crowd identified as members from the pro-Hindu Bajrang Dal group surrounded the premises, delaying their release.
Fear and defiance in Khejuri
Barely 24 hours later, on September 20, over 50 men disrupted Sunday service at Dekhali Church and Mission in Khejuri.
Pastor Chintamoni Midde was beaten alongside believer Bhagyadhar Jana. “They told us to stop praying, to leave our homes, to abandon our faith,” Jana recounted. “But how can we give up what gives us life?”
Police arrived after the Bangiya Christiya Parisheba (BCP, Bengal Christian Council) Legal Cell intervened, but the atmosphere remains tense. Worshippers fear further reprisals if they continue meeting.
The BCP, led by State Founding Secretary Herod Mullick, condemned the twin assaults as part of a systematic campaign of intimidation.
“The administration’s silence emboldens vigilante groups,” Mullick said. “Calling these attacks ‘isolated incidents’ is a dangerous denial of reality.”
Rights advocates argue that the violence reflects a broader climate of impunity in West Bengal, where minority communities face increasing hostility following the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party ruling the state since May.
The repeated targeting of house churches—spaces of prayer and fellowship—underscores the vulnerability of grassroots believers.
Both incidents reveal a chilling strategy: mobs assault worshippers, desecrate sacred texts, and then hand victims over to police, flipping the narrative of guilt.
Survivors describe not only physical pain but also humiliation and fear of recurrence. Yet, amid the trauma, voices of resilience persist.
“We will continue to pray,” said Puja Satyaki quietly. “Our faith is stronger than their hatred.”
Local community leaders warn that unless the state acts decisively, vigilante violence will continue unchecked.
(Phot supplied)