More Christians Killed In India's Troubled State

More Christians Killed In India's Troubled State, originally uploaded by www.first-pakistan.blogspot.com.

*NEW DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)-- An official of Maoist rebels claimed
responsibility Saturday, October 4, for the death of a Hindu leader whose
murder sparked anti-Christian riots in eastern India which killed nearly 50
people since late August, church representatives said. *

In the latest incidents, at least two villagers were reportedly hacked to
death by unidentified persons Friday, October 3, in the tense Kandhamal
district of Orissa state.

India media said tribal peoples in Sindhipankha village killed Dushashan
Majhi, a local influential Christian, first shooting him and them cutting
him to pieces. The mob then turned on Sanyasi Majhi, also said to be
Christian, who was with Dushashan Majhi. There were unconfirmed reports that
a third victim was killed along with the other two.

The killings took place at Sindhupanka village while bodies were recovered
apparently from previous violence early on Friday, October 3, Indian media
reported.

Earlier on Wednesday, October 1, Lalji Nayak, believed to be about 80 years
old, died from axe wounds after a Hindu extremist mob attacked his village
of Hrudangia the previous day, news reports said. He was among over a dozen
injured people following violence in which at least two women were killed,
police and other sources said.

*NUN RAPED*

In addition Christian women have been raped by suspected Hindu militants,
police said. In a statement monitored by BosNewsLife, police said they
detained four people for the alleged rape on August 25 of a nun during
Hindu-Christian clashes in Orissa.

"Four people have been arrested in connection with this shameful act,"
Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told reporters. Separately, Kandhamal
superintendent of police Praveen Kumar told the Press Trust of India news
agency that the "woman was medically examined and the report received by us
suggests the possibility of rape."

The arrests followed reports of fresh clashes and arson late Thursday in
Boudh district adjoining Kandhamal, news reports said. "We have sent fresh
security reinforcements to Kandhamal and Boudh districts," the French News
Agency AFP quoted Orissa police chief Manmohan Praharaj as saying.

The clashes began August 23 following the killing of Swami Laxamananda
Saraswati and four of his followers. Hindus blamed Christians, but on
Saturday, October 4, Maoist rebels confirmed reports that they were
responsible.

*DEATH PENALTY *
"We ordered the death penalty for him," Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda said
in a statement. Panda said his group left letters at the killing in August
claiming responsibility but that local authorities hid the evidence. "They
suppressed the evidence so that they could get an excuse to attack
Christians," Panda told Indian media.

Hindu groups have attacked churches, prayer halls and homes of Christians in
the state, forcing tens of thousands of people to seek shelter in state-run
refugee homes. Hard line Hindu groups have accused Christian missionaries of
bribing poor tribes people and low-caste Hindus to convert to Christianity
by offering free education and health care.

Churches have strongly denied those charges, saying "forcing" people "to
accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior is against the Bible."

The attacks have been condemned by the Vatican and described as "a national
shame" by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Christians comprise some 2.3
percent of India's billion-plus Hindu majority population, according to
official estimates. Christianity has been seen spreading in especially rural
areas of the country, adding to opposition of Hindu groups, rights watchers
say.

Khurram Gardezi
( www.first-pakistan.blogspot.com )
( www.youtube.com/group/musharraf )