POSTPONE POLLS IN KANDHAMAL: ARCHBISHOP TO CEC
Bhubaneswar: The Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, Most Rev. Raphael Cheenath has written to the Chief Election Commissioner requesting him to postpone Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Kandhamal district of Orissa. READ MORE

STAINES' KILLER IN FRAY
The news of Rabindra Kumar Pal alias Dara Singh contesting election as an independent candidate from Orissa's Ghasipura assembly constituency has come a 'shocker' to the Christian community in India. Dara Singh is convicted in the brutal murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and two of his minor sons in 1999. Presently lodged in Keonjhar jail, Dara Singh submitted his papers to the sub-collector of Anandapur through an agent identified as Netrananda Mahanta. READ MORE

1130 CHRISTIANS CONVERTED TO HINDUISM IN MUMBAI
Over a thousand Christians were converted to Hinduism at a ceremonial function in Maharashtra's Mumbai. According to a trusted source, about 1130 Christians adopted Hinduism during a function at Kalyan in the district of Thane. The conversion was solemnised by Jagadguru Narendra Maharaj, a Hindu saint spearheading a religious campaign vying to reconvert Hindus as well as Dalits and tribal people into Hinduism. READ MORE

MAOISTS, NOT CHRISTIANS BEHIND RSS ACTIVIST DEATH: POLICE
The Orissa police on Friday dismissed claims of Sangh Parivar linking Christians in the murder of a Hindu activist in Kandhamal, March 18. After initiating the investigation on the murder of Pravat Panigrahi, Orissa state authorites warned saffron groups to refrain from targeting the Christians for the crime. Referring to the August 23 violence on Christians that was sparked by the murder of VHP leader Laxmananda Saraswati, DGP Manmohan Praharaj said, "A number of senior Maoist leaders had earlier claimed responsibility of killing VHP leader Saraswati.” READ MORE

INDIA GOVERNMENT URGED TO TACKLE DEADLY VIOLENCE
Human rights investigators have urged India's government to tackle extremist groups and to improve protection of the country's Christian minority after "the most severe anti-Christian violence seen in post-independence India" which killed scores of people and displaced thousands, mainly in the states of Orissa and Karnataka. In its annual briefing on the situation of Christians in India, Britain based advocacy group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) said 2008 "saw a continued pattern of religiously motivated violence perpetrated against the Christian community across numerous states.” READ MORE

RAGGING VICTIM ALMOST BLINDED
Coimbatore: What makes educated college students in the country bully, beat up and humiliate their juniors? Ragging just keeps happening despite the laws and now it's nearly caused a 20-year-old first year student his eyesight. READ MORE

ORPHANAGE BURNED IN ORISSA
Bhubaneshwar: An orphanage in Bargarh district that was torched by Hindu militants last August was burned to the ground a second time on March 20, 2009, according to reports. READ MORE

ICPF INITIATES 'ONE MINUTE PRAYER MOVEMENT’
New Delhi: The Inter Collegiate Prayer Fellowship, New Delhi has started a new initiative called ONE MINUTE PRAYER MOVEMENT specially focusing on the high schools, colleges and for the office going people. READ MORE

CHRISTIAN KILLED IN ORISSA
Bhubaneshwar: A 23-year-old Christian man, Gunjan Digal, was run over by a tractor and killed in Gungibadi village in Kandhamal district, according to reports. Police have claimed that the incident was an "accident."  READ MORE

PASTOR ATTACKED
Bangalore (Karnataka): On April 5, Pastor Yadal was attacked in the village of Vadarpalaya. Police officers stopped Pastor Yadal while he was on his way to preach at the House of Salvation church. READ MORE

MANIPURI CHRISTIANS ORGANISE PRAYER MOVEMENT
Christians in Manipur have decided to seek God's help in transforming their troubled state. They have organised a continuous prayer chain that will last till April 30, 2009. READ MORE

ESV STUDY BIBLE NAMED THE CHRISTIAN BOOK OF THE YEAR
The ESV Study Bible has been named the "Christian Book of the Year" by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, marking the first time the honor has been given to a study Bible. READ MORE

BJP FIELDS RIOT-ACCUSED AS CANDIDATES
Bhubaneshwar: The Christian community in Orissa as well as some political parties have condemned the BJP’s decision to nominate Kandhamal riot-accused Manoj Pradhan as the party candidate from G Udaygiri Assembly constituency of the riothit district. READ MORE

This page is updated on April 20, 2009