On January 22, 1999, Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons were burnt alive in a hate crime in Manoharpur, Odisha. The incident led to a wave of condemnation and 51 people were arrested, with 14 sentenced to punishments ranging from death to 14 years in prison. On the 25th anniversary of the killings, the Christian community in Manoharpur gathered for prayers and remembrance. While communal tensions have been kept to a minimum in the village, underlying fault lines still exist. The incident also had political implications, with the BJP being accused of using the situation for political gain. | Latest News India
25th anniversary of Graham Staines murder to be observed in Odisha on Jan 22 thehindu.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thehindu.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The BJP's rocky relations with the Christian community was thrusted to the forefront on several occasions in the recent past. Not long ago, in 2021, India saw frequent attacks on Christians and churches-up to 300 attacks were recorded in the .