Preacher murdered; police deny religious motive

NIZAMABAD, India — The body of Prem Kumar, a 67-year-old preacher from the Church of South India, was found June 8 in a forest in Nizamabad district of India’s Andhra Pradesh state.

A young man approached Kumar that morning requesting he hold a prayer meeting in Rampur Thanda village later that day. Though suspicious, Kumar agreed. When he arrived at the pickup point, strangers were waiting. Kumar phoned his son and asked him to call frequently. Kumar’s cell phone went dead about 11 a.m.

Local authorities denied any religious motive, saying personal rivalry was the most likely reason for the murder.
Kumar’s son, however, said his father had no enemies and strongly suspected Hindu extremists.

Andhra Pradesh state is ruled by the Congress Party, with Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, a Christian, as the chief minister. Religious tensions have been high in the state, with Hindu extremists accusing Reddy of giving a free hand to Christian missionaries.