Maharashtra Church Razed Overnight

An independent church in Maharashtra’s Pimpri-Chinchwad area was demolished in the early hours of 7 September, triggering a dispute between church members and civic authorities over the circumstances surrounding the action. The Jesus Is Lord Church, located in Rajwade Nagar in the Kalewadi area, was brought down during an overnight operation carried out by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. Church members allege that the demolition took place shortly before a court hearing concerning the property and that officials did not consider documents they presented regarding the proceedings. According to church member Rose Mathews, three JCB excavators were deployed at the site in the presence of a substantial police contingent. She also alleged that members were discouraged from filming the demolition. Members of the congregation said they had attempted to show officials court-related documents but claimed the papers were not taken into consideration. They also questioned the timing of the operation, particularly because the matter was expected to come before the local court later that day. The congregation further alleged that it had not received the advance notice it believed was required before such action could be taken. The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, however, described the demolition as part of a broader enforcement drive targeting unauthorised structures in Rajwade Nagar, under the civic body's G Ward. The corporation said approximately 7,400 square feet of unauthorised construction was removed during the operation. The civic authority did not specifically respond to the church members’ allegations regarding the claimed stay order or the court proceedings. The church had reportedly been built several years ago with financial contributions from members of the congregation, many of whom come from low-income backgrounds. Samuel Joseph, a member of the church, said around 20 to 25 people gathered at the site before the demolition and prayed as the operation began. He said the congregation was unable to remove furniture and other belongings from the building before it was demolished. Joseph also questioned why the church was removed while, according to him, other structures considered unauthorised were still present in the surrounding area. The allegation contrasts with the municipal corporation’s position that the operation was part of a wider action against unauthorised construction. The incident has also drawn criticism from Christian activists in Maharashtra. Roy Mathews, a Christian activist, said the demolition should be viewed against what he described as increasing pressure on independent churches and prayer halls across the state. Mathews also linked the issue to the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026, which came into force on 28 August. The legislation criminalises religious conversion carried out through force, fraud or allurement. Critics of the law have raised concerns about the possibility of its provisions being misused against Christian prayer gatherings and religious activities. Mathews alleged that administrative action was increasingly being used against Christian institutions and described the Pimpri-Chinchwad demolition as part of a broader pattern of pressure on independent congregations. For now, the central claims surrounding the demolition remain contested. Church members maintain that the civic action ignored ongoing court proceedings and their objections, while the municipal corporation maintains that the demolition was undertaken as part of an enforcement drive against unauthorised construction. The episode has nevertheless intensified debate over the legal protection of religious institutions, due process in civic demolitions and the treatment of independent Christian congregations in Maharashtra.