Odisha’s Kandhamal riots case has taken a tragic turn as Mundu Badamaji, one of the seven Christians falsely accused in connection with the 2008 murder of Hindu leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, passed away without receiving justice. Despite the Maoists claiming responsibility for the assassination, Badamaji and six other Christians were arrested and spent over a decade in prison.

On the night of their arrest, the illiterate and differently-abled Mundu Badamaji was among those forcibly taken into custody by the police while they were asleep at home. They were imprisoned for 11 years before the Supreme Court of India granted them bail in 2019. However, their appeal remained unheard in the Odisha High Court, leaving them in legal limbo for over 12 years.

Badamaji, who had been bedridden after suffering a stroke, passed away while still awaiting justice. His demise now leaves six other falsely accused Christians still fighting for their freedom.

Renowned journalist Anto Akkara, who has extensively documented the Kandhamal riots and the persecution of Christians in the region, expressed deep sorrow over Badamaji’s passing. "I last saw him on February 7 in Kandhamal. He had suffered a stroke and could not even smile. His death is heartbreaking," Akkara stated.

With Badamaji’s passing, the struggle for justice continues for the remaining six Christians who were falsely implicated in the case and have yet to receive a verdict from the Odisha High Court.