Tension erupted in the village Bhejripadar in tehsil Tokapal of Bastar district, Chhattisgarh this week after locals demanded that a tribal woman who had died should be cremated according to tribal rites instead of a Christian burial.
According to a report in OpIndia, the deceased woman, Mate Bekko was a tribal woman who had lately converted her religion to Christianity. The villagers gathered during her funeral and opposed her burial process.
Mate Bekko died on March 19. The local villagers gathered for her funeral and stated that she shall be cremated and not buried. On refusal by her family members who also had converted their religion to Christianity, the local villagers started pelting stones.
Clashes broke out when the body of the Christian woman was being taken by her family to the burial ground. After this, the family members of the deceased woman left the body on the street while on their way to the burial ground and returned home.
On being informed of the clashes, police reached the spot to pacify the villagers. A few police officers were also injured as villagers continued to pelt stones amid the protest. Later, police controlled the situation and called the family members of the deceased woman to take the body away for burial.
The body was then taken to the private land owned by the woman’s husband, Mosu Bekko for burial on the very same day. The protesters, however, reached there and continued to protest against the burial.
The following day, that is on March 20, police took severe cognizance of the protests and deployed heavy force at the residence of the Bekkos. The woman was then buried in the backyard of her husband’s private land in the presence of the police.
The Inspector General of Police (IG), Bastar issued a statement in the case and said, “A situation of tension arose between the two groups, but the police force and administrative officials present on the occasion managed to counsel the people and end the disagreement. The district collector and senior superintendent of police (SSP) of Bastar have visited the spot. The additional district magistrate and additional SP are present on the spot with the police force. Stringent legal action will be initiated against those trying to disturb the law and order situation.”
