Odisha officials inspect ISKCON Dhenkanal over child-labour complaint, find no evidence
A viral video led Odisha’s Child Helpline and Labour Department to inspect ISKCON Dhenkanal on 4 October over claims that children aged 8 to 14 were being made to wash utensils, do laundry, sweep and sell books. Officials said they found no such activity; the centre says the children take part willingly with their parents’ consent. A journalist has since filed a police complaint alleging mistreatment by a devotee.
DHENKANAL, Odisha — A joint team of the district Child Helpline and the Labour Department inspected the ISKCON centre on Dakhinakali Road in Dhenkanal on Sunday, 4 October 2026, after a complaint alleged that children attending the centre’s Sunday classes were being made to work.[1][2] The Child Helpline’s project coordinator told Odisha Television (OTV) that the team found no such activity on the premises, and a member of the centre said the children participate voluntarily.[1] Kanak News reported the next day that a journalist covering the inspection had filed a complaint at Dhenkanal Town police station, saying a devotee had mistreated him.[4]
The complaint
According to OTV, the complaint was filed by Balaram Behera on the basis of videos that had circulated on social media. He alleged that children between eight and fourteen years old, enrolled in the centre’s “Children’s Class” held on Sundays from 10 am to 1 pm, were being made to wash utensils, launder clothes, sweep the premises and sell religious books, which he described as child exploitation.[1] Nirvay News added that the selling of books allegedly took place “in extreme heat”.[2]
The inspection
Two Child Helpline teams and officers of the Labour Department carried out the inspection together.[4] OTV quoted the Child Helpline project coordinator, Roshan Kumar Nanda, on the outcome.[1]
“When we visited the temple and inspected the premises, we found no such activity taking place.”
Roshan Kumar Nanda, project coordinator, Child Helpline, to OTV, 4 October 2026[1]
Nirvay News reported the same finding, saying no direct evidence of child labour was found and that the allegation was characterised as unsubstantiated.[2]
The centre’s response
A member of the centre, named by OTV as Pitindra Mahakudha and by Nirvay News as Pitambar Mahakud, denied the allegations. He said the children take part willingly, with their parents’ consent, and that nobody is forced to do any work.[1][2] Kanak News said no official response from ISKCON was available when it reported on 5 October.[4]
Allegations of misbehaviour, and a police complaint
OTV and OTV Khabar both reported that, during the inspection, some members of the centre misbehaved with Child Helpline officials and with journalists who had come to cover it.[1][3] Kanak News reported on 5 October that a journalist had filed a complaint at Dhenkanal Town police station alleging mistreatment by an ISKCON devotee.[4] No police action had been reported as of 8 October.
About the centre
ISKCON Dhenkanal describes itself on its website as operating under the guidance of GBC members Jayapataka Swami and Bhakti Purusottama Swami, with Prem Kishore Das as general manager, and gives its address as Dakhinakali Road bypass, Dhenkanal.[5]
Where things stand
As of 8 October, 13:05 (UTC−3), neither the centre’s website nor its Facebook page, which has about 10,000 followers, had commented on the inspection; the page’s newest post was a share about a Vishva Hindu Parishad official’s visit to ISKCON Angul.[7] Akincana Gocara has not seen the videos that prompted the complaint and has not independently verified any of the allegations or the counter-allegations of misbehaviour, which are reported here as the claims of the respective sources.
Sources
- Rashmi Ranjan Mohanty, “Child labour allegations trigger raid at ISKCON centre in Dhenkanal”, OTV, 4 October 2026. odishatv.in/odisha/child-labour-allegations-trigger-raid… (archived copy)
- “Child Helpline raids Dhenkanal ISKCON centre over labour allegations”, Nirvay News, 4 October 2026. nirvaynews.com/child-helpline-raids-dhenkanal-iskcon-centre…
- “Child Helpline and Labour officials raided Dhenkanal ISKCON centre over allegations involving minor children” (Odia), OTV Khabar, 4 October 2026. otvkhabar.in/odisha/child-helpline-and-labour-officials-raided…
- “ଇସ୍କନ୍ ସେଣ୍ଟରରେ ଚଢ଼ାଉ” (video report), Kanak News, 5 October 2026. kanaknews.com/videos/society/…dhenkanal-iskcon-raid…
- ISKCON Dhenkanal, website home and contact pages, read 8 October 2026. iskcondhenkanal.org
- ISKCON Centres directory, search for “Dhenkanal”, 8 October 2026. centres.iskcon.org/search/Dhenkanal
- ISKCON Dhenkanal, Facebook page, read 8 October 2026. facebook.com/ISKCONDhenkanal
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