Released Murderer Receives a Hero's Welcome

Released Murderer Receives a Hero's Welcome

An illustration of Graham Staines and his boys. All three are smiling.
Graham Staines with sons Philip and Timothy.
Photo: VOM USA

On January 23rd, 1999, Australian missionary Graham Staines, along with his two young sons Philip and Timothy, were burned to death by Hindu nationalist militants. Initially, authorities denied that the assailants had any connection to the Hindu nationalist group, Bajrang Dal, though such ties were later substantiated. While 14 men had been arrested in connection with the incident, 12 of the perpetrators were acquitted due to lack of evidence. The other two men, Mahendra Hembram and Dara Singh, were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.

As news of the shocking murders spread around the world, plans were made to depict the events in a film, which was eventually released as The Least of These: The Graham Staines Story. Shortly after, however, leaders of the Bajrang Dal organization announced plans to release their own movie, titled Dara: The Hero, which would celebrate the murderers' horrific actions. It is unknown if such a film was created.

While Dara Singh presently remains in prison, Mahendra Hembram was released on April 16th on the grounds of "good behaviour." This decision was authorized by the Odisha State Sentence Review Board. As he walked free from the Keonjhar jail, Mahendra was celebrated by supporters who welcomed him as a hero, placing garlands on him and shouting Hindu slogans. Mahendra also proclaimed his innocence and insisted that he had been wrongly imprisoned, even though he previously claimed sole responsibility for the incident in 2002.

The early release of this prisoner has reignited questions and concerns relating to justice, forgiveness and the treatment of religious minorities in India. Having witnessed the response of the crowd celebrating Mahendra's freedom, Father Ajay Kumar Singh, a human rights activist in Odisha, described it as "a shocking sight for anybody believing in peace and tranquility of a society."

While the initial murders brought about worldwide condemnation and calls for justice, many Hindu nationalists argued that the incident took place in response to the alleged coercive conversion activities of Christian missionaries. Following his release from prison, Mahendra even referred to the murders simply as "an incident related to religious conversion."

In the 1999 Wadhwa Commission probing the situation, Graham's wife Gladys responded to the perpetrators of the violence that tragically ended the lives of her husband and two young sons. "It is my desire and hope that they [will] repent and be reformed," she stated. Further information about the martyrdom of Gladys' family members is available here.

  • Please join Gladys in praying that a radical transformation would take place in the hearts of Mahendra and Dara, asking that these men would come to a point of sincere repentance and place their faith in Christ.
  • Pray that other Hindu militants who support such horrific acts of violence and intolerance would likewise experience a life-changing encounter with Jesus, the Prince of Peace, and acknowledge Him as their personal Saviour and Lord.
  • May God continue to strengthen, equip and embolden believers throughout India to share the hope they have in Jesus and accomplish the tasks He has set before them.

India Information

  • Current Ministry Projects

    VOMC assists persecuted Christians with legal support and rehabilitation assistance, and cares for children of martyrs by providing them with a safe place to be nurtured physical and spiritually. VOMC also partners to equip Christians in India with Biblical training and works to strengthen and support marginalized and persecuted Christian women. Additionally, VOMC helps to provide medical assistance to believers who have faced injuries after being attacked.”

    Project Funds: Families of Martyrs, Equipping the Saints, Legal Defense, Relief and Development, Women’s Ministry, Medical Fund

  • Country Information

    Population
    1,399,179,585 (2023 est.)

    Ethnicity (%)
    Indo-Aryan (72), Dravidian (25), other (3)

    Religion (%)
    Hinduism (79.8), Muslim (14.2), Christianity (2.3), Sikh (1.7), other (2)

    Leader
    President Droupadi Murmu (2022)

    Government type
    Federal parliamentary republic

    Legal system
    Based on English common law; separate personal law codes apply to Christians, Hindus and Muslims.

    Source: CIA World Factbook

  • Pray for India

    Despite the intimidation and violence that have taken place in many of India's states, may Christians wisely yet unashamedly preach the Gospel. Pray that indigenous Christians and foreign missionaries will minister in ways that do not hint at fraudulent conversions, unmasking the intentions behind the anti-conversion legislation. Intercede for India's leaders, that they may reign with justice and righteousness.

India News

  • Supreme Court to Review Anti-Conversion Laws
    The India Supreme Court building is surrounded by trees.
    The Supreme Court of India.
    Photo: Wikimedia / Subhashish Panigrahi (cc)

    The Supreme Court of India has agreed to hear a series of petitions challenging the constitutionality of anti-conversion laws enacted by several of the country's states. On September 16th, the court issued notices to the respective state governments, requesting their formal responses within four weeks. The case is scheduled to be heard in six weeks, and the judges have indicated that they may consider ordering the states to pause the enforcement of their existing laws until a decision is made.

  • New Policies Further Restrict Religious Freedom
    A brightly lit church building is filled with people.
    A church in India.
    Photo: Flickr / Ashish Kumar Milap (cc)

    Recent developments in two Indian states have raised serious concerns for Christians, particularly in relation to the newly heightened restrictions on religious conversions. In the first incident, police in Chhattisgarh notified more than 200 house churches around the state capital city of Raipur that worship gatherings within private homes are no longer permitted.

  • Pastors Arrested and Assaulted
    A crowd is gathered around a church building.
    A screenshot of people disrupting the service in Bhilai.
    Photo: Morning Star News

    On July 20th, six pastors were arrested after a mob disrupted a church service in Bhilai, a city located within the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. The assailants chanted Hindu slogans and accused the pastors of engaging in forcible conversions. As the mob grew increasingly vocal, shouting obscenities and threatening violence, Pastor Baksh locked the church doors to protect his congregation members.

  • Severe Restrictions Accompany Anti-Conversion Legislation
    A church congregation is gathered during a service.
    A church in India.
    Photo: World Watch Monitor

    In early July, the Maharashtra state government announced plans to introduce stringent anti-conversion legislation. The new laws, which are expected to be the most severe of their kind in the country, are particularly aimed at preventing religious conversions within tribal communities. While the stated intent is to prevent incidents of coercion, legislators have used language demonstrating a broader aim to restrict religious conversions of any sort. During the announcement, the state's revenue minister, Chandrashekhar Bawankule, declared that the law would be so strict "no one will dare to undertake religious conversion."