12/16/2011 India (BosNewsLife)-A prominent rights activist of India's main umbrella group of evangelical churches has been killed by suspected Hindu hardliners in the volatile state of Orissa, local Christians confirmed to BosNewsLife, Friday December 16. Rabindra Kumar Parichha of the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) was reportedly killed late Thursday, December 15, in the town of Bhanjanagar in Orissa's Ganjam District.
Christians said Parichha was found with his throat cut and there were signs he had been shot in his stomach.
It was not immediately clear who was behind the killing, but missionary Markose K J, of the Catholic 'Montfort Missionaries' order, told BosNewsLife that the killing came amid threats by Hindu hardliners.
Manoj Pradhan, an Orissa legislator and leader of the Hindu nationalist Bharitya Janata Party (BJP), and followers were seen moving into several villages. They allegedly threatened to kill all Christian leaders in Orissa's Kandhamal district, where over 100 people died in anti-Christian violence since August 2008.
FACING PROSECUTION
There was no immediate comment from Pradhan, who has been investigated by prosecutors for his alleged involvement in arson and murder of local Christians. Paricha was one of EFI's leading advocates on behalf of Orissa Christians, including survivors of the recent violence.
Paricha was the third Christian leader to be killed in Orissa this year. Pastor Saul Pradhan of Banjamaha village was Orissa's first known Christian murdered in 2011, according to rights activists(Read More).
Christians said Parichha was found with his throat cut and there were signs he had been shot in his stomach.
It was not immediately clear who was behind the killing, but missionary Markose K J, of the Catholic 'Montfort Missionaries' order, told BosNewsLife that the killing came amid threats by Hindu hardliners.
Manoj Pradhan, an Orissa legislator and leader of the Hindu nationalist Bharitya Janata Party (BJP), and followers were seen moving into several villages. They allegedly threatened to kill all Christian leaders in Orissa's Kandhamal district, where over 100 people died in anti-Christian violence since August 2008.
FACING PROSECUTION
There was no immediate comment from Pradhan, who has been investigated by prosecutors for his alleged involvement in arson and murder of local Christians. Paricha was one of EFI's leading advocates on behalf of Orissa Christians, including survivors of the recent violence.
Paricha was the third Christian leader to be killed in Orissa this year. Pastor Saul Pradhan of Banjamaha village was Orissa's first known Christian murdered in 2011, according to rights activists(Read More).
No comments:
Post a Comment