By C M Paul
Sundargarh, August 25, 2025: The cows they raised were meant to be a lifeline, not a death sentence. For Johan Soren, 66, and his brother Philip Soren, 55, the sale of their two bulls and two calves—for a desperate price of 40,000 rupees — was the only way to fund the urgent medical care for Johan’s ailing wife.
It was an act of familial sacrifice, a final attempt to meet an escalating financial and health crisis in their tribal village of Telenadihi.
But that small, necessary transaction turned into a nightmare on August 19.
As the two Catholic tribal farmers walked their animals along Malipada Road, they were ambushed by a mob of nearly 16 men, who identified themselves as “Gau Rakshaks” (cow vigilantes). Their cries of protest that the animals were their own, legally sold to a trader were ignored. The mob allegedly beat the brothers, leaving them bleeding and barely conscious on the roadside.
“We told them we were selling our own cattle to save my wife’s life,” a relative recounted later. “They just laughed and said we were smugglers.”
Today, the brothers lie in a hospital bed. Johan has been diagnosed with multiple fractured ribs, an injury that makes every breath a struggle. Philip’s hand is broken, shattering his ability to work their small plot of land.
The fight for justice has been as brutal as the assault itself. Local police initially refused to register a formal complaint, allegedly questioning the victims’ legal right to their own cattle. It took the intervention of the Superintendent of Police on August 23 to finally force the registration of an FIR.
Despite clear video evidence and the severity of the victims’ injuries, no arrests have been made. As Christian and tribal rights groups pressure authorities for stronger charges and swift action, the Soren family remains focused on survival, their financial crisis now compounded by crippling medical bills for both the wife and the two brutalized brothers. For them, the dream of providing for their family has been shattered, replaced by the grim reality of a broken body and an uncertain wait for justice.
The Christian community in Odisha has faced a distressing escalation of violence and harassment in recent months, a trend that advocacy groups attribute in part to a change in the state’s political climate. The core of the issue centers on two patterns: physical attacks by mobs and systemic discrimination enabled by law.
This story was originally published in mattersindia.com. Read the full story here.