RUDANGIA, India — Family members of a Christian found murdered in the Pandagadu area of Orissa state’s Kandhamal district said they believe the killers were Hindu nationalists such as those responsible for more than two months of violent anti-Christian rioting last year.
Hrudayananda Nayak, a 40-year-old father of two, was found dead Feb. 19 with several injuries to his head he received as he took a shortcut through a forest to his home village of Rudangia.
His mother, Prasanna Kumari Nayak, has submitted a written complaint to police alleging the killers were associated with Hindu hardliners involved in last year’s rioting.
His nephew, Sujan Nayak, said that on the day of the murder, Feb. 18, his uncle told him before leaving home that he had received threats from three drunken men who were standing outside shouting threats at Christians in general that morning.
Sujan Nayak said his uncle quoted the men as saying, “We will not burn houses this time but will kill all Christians one by one.”
“The three men threatening violence in the morning were seen on the same road passing through the forest where Hrudayananda was murdered at 11 p.m. on the date of the murder,” Sujan Nayak said. “It is one week since the murder, and the suspects have not returned back home.”
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