Mukesh Ranjan By

Express News Service

RANCHI: At least five people of Banhardi village in Latehar district of Jharkhand are allegedly being denied ration and government benefits for embracing Christianity.

In a Gram Sabha held on April 10, the village head asked them to reconvert to Sarnaism but they refused, following which the decision was taken.

The Sarna religion, centred around the worship of trees, is followed by the tribal populations of Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, MP, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.

Not just that, Gram Pradhan Ramkewal Oraon allegedly also issued a diktat that the ancestral land of these converts would be distributed among close relatives who still practice Sarnaism.

Anybody spotted attending family functions of these five individuals will be imposed with a fine of Rs 1,000.

Interestingly, the victims had embraced Christianity in 2012, but it was in 2017 that the villagers started reacting. They were allegedly forced to reconvert last year at Chandwa police station.

Deputy Commissioner Shantanu Kumar Agrahari has assured that action would be taken within 24 hours if the incident was found to be true.