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Bhubaneshwar: A fast-tract
court in Orissa on September 23, 2009 sentenced five
people to life imprisonment for murdering a pastor in
Kandhamal violence against Christians a year ago.
Additional Sessions Judge Sobhan Kumar Das of the
Fast-track Court - I at district head-quarters of
Phulbani sentenced Sabita Pradhan, Papu Pradhan, Abinash
Pradhan, Dharmaraj Pradhan and Mania Pradhan to life
imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs.5,000 each on
them, special public prosecutor B.K. Pattnaik was quoted
as saying by Indo-Asian News Service.
The court found them guilty of killing Akbar Digal, a
pastor of a Baptist church at Tatamaha village, on Aug
26 last year.
So far, 17 people have been convicted, including the
five persons, in the Kandhamal Riots case. In the past,
the fast-tract courts had sentenced 12 people to
rigorous imprisonment ranging from four to six years;
but this is the first time the court has slapped the
convicts to life imprisonment. The two fast-tract courts
- I and II are set up by the government to try cases
related to anti-Christian violence that erupted in
August 2008.
The anti-Christian violence broke out in Orissa after a
Hindu fundamentalist - VHP leader, Laxmananda Saraswati,
was murdered in August 2008. Hindus blamed Christians
for killing Saraswati even though Maoist rebels had
publicly claimed responsibility for the murder.
Following the swami’s death, Hindu mobs attacked
Christians, burning their homes, shops, churches and
orphanages. More than 30,000 Christians from Orissa were
forced to take shelter in refugee camps under fear for
further attacks.
About 4,500 Christian homes were burned and 180 churches
destroyed. At least 60 Christians were killed, according
to the Orissa government’s report, but church leaders in
Orissa report higher figures and have accused the
government of intentionally undercounting the number of
deaths.
As much as 10,000 people were named in 827 cases
registered during the August riots. Chargesheet has
already been filed in 437 cases and investigation was on
in other 354 cases, including the nun’s rape.
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