Church leaders in Odisha have expressed serious concern over the reported disappearance of an important inquiry report related to the 2008 anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal district.
A First Information Report (FIR) was filed on June 10 by a senior official of the Odisha Home Department, stating that several important documents had gone missing from the Chief Minister’s Office during the change of government in 2024. Among the missing records is the report of the Justice A.S. Naidu Commission, which investigated the murder of Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and the communal violence that followed.
Church leaders described the incident as alarming. They questioned how such an important document could disappear and raised concerns about possible foul play. They also pointed out that, according to media reports, only one hard copy of the report existed, increasing worries about the safety and authenticity of any digital versions.
The Kandhamal violence began after the killing of Swami Laxmanananda on August 23, 2008. Christian groups have long maintained that Christians were wrongly blamed for the murder, while Maoist rebels later claimed responsibility.
The violence lasted for nearly seven weeks. According to rights groups and Church organisations, around 100 people were killed, more than 56,000 people were displaced, about 6,000 houses were destroyed, and over 300 churches and Christian institutions were attacked.
Justice A.S. Naidu said the two-volume report contained more than 1,500 pages of findings and recommendations aimed at preventing such violence in the future. Church leaders have called for a thorough investigation to recover the missing report and ensure justice for the victims of Kandhamal.
