Churches in India's Chhattisgarh post "at your own risk" notices for non-Christian worshippers
Church leaders in Dhamtari, Chhattisgarh, say they posted notices telling non-Christian visitors they attend worship at their own risk, as a precaution under the state's new conversion law.
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Churches in Dhamtari district, in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, have put up notices telling non-Christians who come to worship that they do so on their own responsibility. Local church leaders call it a precaution under the state's new anti-conversion law.
UCA News and The Hindu both describe a Hindi notice outside the Sunderganj Mennonite Church in Dhamtari city. It says church rules limit entry for worship to Christians, and that anyone else who comes voluntarily does so "at their own risk." A Church of God congregation has a similar board.
Diamond Philus (spelled Filus by The Indian Express) is general secretary of the Dhamtari District Christian Forum. He told UCA News the notices are meant to protect congregations from disputes and legal trouble. "We are not restricting anyone, but if people want to come, they should come at their own risk," he said.
Counts differ. Philus told UCA the notices are up at eight churches in the city. UCA said local Hindi media counted about 40 churches and prayer centres across the district. The Indian Express reported more than 10 churches over the past month, plus banners at some homes used for prayer.
Philus said more than 1,000 people have filed forms with district authorities declaring that they attend prayer meetings of their own free will. He told The Indian Express about a Sept. 15 peace meeting called by police. At that meeting, representatives of Hindu and tribal organisations objected to non-Christians attending church.
Shivnarayan Pandey, a spokesperson for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), told The Indian Express the law is a social rather than political issue. He said tribal communities oppose conversion.
Reports differ on when the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act, 2026 took effect. UCA News says April 7. The Hindu says it was notified in August, and The Indian Express says it came into force last month. UCA added that India's Supreme Court is hearing Christian groups' challenges to anti-conversion laws in several states.
Sources
UCA News: Churches warn non-Christians against joining prayer services in Indian state (Sep 25, 2026)
https://www.ucanews.com/news/churches-warn-non-christians-against-joining-prayer-services-in-indian-state/115501The Hindu: ‘Enter at own risk’: churches to non-Christians as anti-conversion law takes effect in Chhattisgarh (Sep 25, 2026)
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/chhattisgarh/enter-at-own-risk-churches-to-non-christians-as-anti-conversion-law-takes-effect-in-chhattisgarh/article71504784.eceArchived copyThe Indian Express: Notice outside Chhattisgarh churches asks non-Christians to ‘enter at own responsibility’ (Sep 25, 2026)
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/chhattisgarh-dhamtari-churches-put-up-notices-non-christians-anti-conversion-law-10893480/Archived copy
Corrections and updates
- Update, September 25, 2026: Brief prepared from UCA News, The Hindu (Sept. 25), and The Indian Express (Sept. 25). The notice wording, Philus, the differing counts, the Sept. 15 meeting, Pandey, and the differing effective dates of the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act, 2026 stay with those outlets. The UCA page returned a Cloudflare challenge; the title, and the Sept. 25 date of Philus’s remarks to UCA, are from the indexed article at the same URL. Wayback snapshots exist for The Hindu and The Indian Express. Save Page Now returned 520 for UCA News. No photo.