India: Christian Victims Deprived of Justice in Orissa

BANGALORE, India (Zenit.org) - One year after the outburst of anti-Christian violence in Orissa, many of the alleged perpetrators are being acquitted.

A press release from the Indian bishops' conference reported Saturday that last week, two Hindu men who were accused of murdering Kantheswar Digal, 60, a Catholic man who cooked at the local parish, were acquitted.

The press release noted that some 95 people have been cleared of the charges of murdering Christians and setting fire to their homes, while 24 have been convicted.

Rajendra, the son of the murdered man, said of the acquittal, "I cannot understand as the attackers are known and there are witnesses, who say that they have seen him being dragged out of the public bus."

The statement reported that witnesses in these trials are being intimidated and threatened for their testimonies. It also noted that human rights groups are "aghast" at the outcome of these murder trials.