Twenty-six families have been expelled from their home village in Chhattisgarh, India, after being ordered by village leaders and residents to leave their Christian faith.
The families were forced to leave their homes in the village of Bharanda on 23 June are now living in the open, under police protection.
The expulsion follows a period of tension in the village, with Sunday worship services disrupted on 14 June and 21 June.
Some of the Indian Christians left homeless after being expelled from their home village
“This incident highlights ongoing challenges faced by Christians in parts of Chhattisgarh, where social pressure, discrimination and village-level exclusion are increasingly being used against Christian converts,” said a Barnabas Aid contact.
“The displacement of entire families due to their faith raises serious concerns regarding religious freedom, community rights and the welfare of vulnerable believers.”
Allegations of unlawful conversions
Police have been deployed to keep the peace, and a village assembly (known as a Gram Sabha) has been scheduled to discuss the issue and work towards a solution.
The expulsion follows accusations from the majority community of unlawful “conversion” practices.
In March 2026 Chhattisgarh passed a new Freedom of Religion Bill (commonly referred to as an anti-conversion law) that strengthens the existing law regulating religious conversions and criminalising those believed to be obtained through force, fraud or allurement.
Extremists often wrongly believe that such laws criminalise all conversions from Hinduism, or even that they outlaw any form of Christian worship.
On 31 May, at least eight Christians were severely injured when extremists attacked a Sunday worship service in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma District.
How you can pray
Pray for the safety of our brothers and sisters while they remain homeless. Thank the Lord that police and local authorities are acting to protect them. Ask that efforts to resolve the situation peacefully will be fruitful, and that the families will be able to return to their homes. Above all, pray that they will each remain steadfast in their Christian faith.
