Report By: Pankaj Sharma
Programme: Zee Follow Up
Telecast: Saturday, Sept 27, 7.30 pm

Repeat Telecast: Wednesday, Oct 01, 11.30 am Jesus said in John 16:2-3, “A time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.” More than four years after Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons were burnt alive while sleeping in their station wagon in Mayurbhanj district in Orissa, the city still reverberates with the memories of that fateful night.
The scene, according to the villagers, was gruesome. The three victims were not allowed to escape and their screaming pleas fell on deaf ears. The incident shook one and all around the world.
Graham Staines was a Christian Missionary from Australia who worked with lepers in Orissa. He was burnt alive by a handful of extremists on January 22, 1999. After one and a half years of trial, Dara Singh and his 12 aides have been found guilty in the murder case. The judge sentenced the 12 persons to life imprisonment under Section 120 (B), three years rigorous imprisonment under section 148 and seven years RI under section 435 read with section 149. They were also sentenced to life imprisonment under section 436 read with section 149, and under section 302. One of the chargesheeted, Chenchu Hansda, being a juvenile, was tried in a juvenile court and is currently in a probation home.

The Brisbane-born Graham Staines came to India in 1965 to work among the tribals. He was part of the Evangelical missionary society, which is working in Mayurbhanj since 1895.
In 1983, he got married Gladys Staines and was blessed with two sons and a daughter. Working in India since 1965, his wife explained, “We have decided to stay here because we love this place. She is sorry for what happened but she does not want to accuse anybody for this bloody tragedy. Instead she says, “ I have total faith and belief in Christ and will pray God to forgive the sinners who committed a wrong act.”
However, it was a totally different scenario in Dara Singh’s village Kakor located in Uttar Pradesh. Despite the court verdict, family members say they will challenge the lower court’s order and appeal in the High Court.
Rajrani, 60-year old mother of Dara Singh, who met her son six months ago says that her son is innocent.
Whether God will forgive Dara or not, Gladys has already forgiven him. May be this generosity of heart will imbue some mercy in all those who plan such vicious deeds.