By Shishir Roy Chowdhury
Raipur, Dec 24(UNI) Normal life was disrupted across large parts of Chhattisgarh on Wednesday following a statewide bandh called by several social organisations to protest violence in Kanker district’s Amabeda area and alleged administrative bias in handling cases linked to religious conversion. The shutdown had a significant impact in major urban centres, even as fresh tension was reported from parts of southern Chhattisgarh.
The bandh, supported by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS), the Chhattisgarh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and several trade, social and religious organisations, was observed widely in Raipur, Durg, Jagdalpur, Bilaspur and Ambikapur. Schools, markets, shops and private commercial establishments remained closed from morning, while hospitals, medical stores and emergency services continued to function. In contrast, the bandh had limited impact in districts such as Balrampur and Ramanujganj.
Protestors, accompanied by representatives of trader bodies, took to the streets to ensure compliance, urging shopkeepers to keep establishments shut in Raipur. Police were deployed in strength as some protesters were seen carrying sticks.
Incidents of violence and vandalism were reported during the bandh, including an assault inside a Blinkit office, where CCTV footage allegedly showed an employee being beaten, and damage to property at the city’s Magneto Mall.
The bandh was triggered by a series of violent incidents that began on December 17 in Amabeda and the nearby Bade Tevda village of Kanker district in South Chhattisgarh. The unrest erupted over the burial of a person who had converted to Christianity, leading to clashes between members of the tribal community and the converted group.
The situation escalated into arson, with churches were set on fire, property vandalised and large crowds assembling in the area. Police resorted to baton charge to prevent further violence, during which several villagers, journalists covering the events and at least 20 police personnel, including an Assistant Superintendent of Police, were injured.
Following days of tension, the administration exhumed the body and removed it from the village to restore order, while issuing alerts across multiple districts, including Kanker, Kondagaon and Dhamtari. Security has since been intensified, and officials have warned of strict action in cases of unauthorised burials or attempts to disturb public order.
Amid the bandh, fresh tension was reported from the Amabeda region, where villagers allegedly demolished the house of a converted woman after she refused to return to her previous faith. Police said the situation remained sensitive and was being closely monitored.
Addressing the media, Chhattisgarh Chamber of Commerce executive president Jaspreet Singh Saluja said the shutdown reflected unprecedented unity among traders. Protest organisers under the banner of ‘Sarva Samaj Chhattisgarh’ have made five key demands to the government, including strict enforcement of laws regulating religious conversion, action against officials accused of bias, withdrawal of cases against villagers, compensation for those affected, and firm action against groups allegedly involved in the violence.
Meanwhile the administration has appealed for restraint, urging citizens to maintain peace and respect local traditions while following legal procedures. Senior officials said law and order remained under control but acknowledged that the situation continued to be delicate, with authorities on high alert to prevent further escalation.
Statewide bandh disrupts normal life in Chhattisgarh over religious conversion linked violence
