In January, a mother, father, and their teenage daughter were executed in India’s Orissa state. The motive, it seems, stems from family members who believed their conversion to Christianity was to blame for some illnesses affecting the family.
Reports from local media and police suggest that there were underlying property disputes, but individuals like Soren Sukuda contend that the murders were directly linked to their Christian faith. Jitendra, the father, along with his wife Malati and their 15-year-old daughter Sasmita, were killed, leaving other family members in hiding. “Our Christian beliefs significantly contributed to the killings,” Sukuda stated.
Jitendra, who had faced a long-term illness, sought prayer from his pastor, which reportedly helped him feel better, according to a report. As Jitendra and his family began to attend church regularly, his brother’s daughter, Badiya, fell ill, experiencing recurrent fevers. Being a follower of the village’s traditional religion, she blamed Jitendra’s conversion for her affliction and alleged that a pastor had performed witchcraft to transfer the illness to her.
On the day of the tragic incident, Badiya threatened Jitendra, insisting he stop attending church services. “That Sunday, he was warned that if his daughter didn’t recover, he’d pay with his life,” Sukuda recounted.
Later, while the family was unwinding post-church, Badiya, her son, and another relative attacked Jitendra with bamboo sticks and an axe. According to a witness, Badiya struck first, and when Jitendra’s daughter intervened, she suffered a fatal blow to her throat. Malati, upon approaching her daughter’s body, met the same fate. Jitendra, in a moment of desperation, fled, pleading for mercy, but was captured and brutally killed.
Jitendra’s married daughter and two young kids also witnessed this horrific scene. “My uncle warned my sister to flee or face the same wrath,” Sugudha shared, emphasizing the family’s fractured relations after Jitendra’s conversion.
Following the murders, villagers relayed that Jitendra’s children should come back home, essentially saying, “You have no one left. Stop following Christ, and we’ll take care of you.” Sukuda boldly declared, “We will never leave Christ. We live as Christians and will die as Christians.”
Authorities asked to have the case transferred to an independent agency on February 9, owing to the insistence from villagers regarding the family’s Christian faith. Media outlets presented the attack as a property dispute, but many, including Sukuda, argue it was premeditated and rooted in religious hatred.
According to rankings, India was listed as the 12th most dangerous country for Christians in 2026, with 22 million Christians facing increased violence attributed to a rise in religious nationalism. Reports from the Evangelical Alliance of India’s Religious Freedom Commission documented over 900 incidents against Christians in 2025, and the Global Watch List noted 16 Christians killed for faith-related reasons that same year.
The local authorities have been approached for comments regarding this tragic case.
