KCBC condemns brutal assault on priests in Odisha
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
KCBC stated that the those who targeted the priests on a day when the students were on vacation, carried out the assault as part of a religious extremist agenda to intimidate and expel them.
Early on May 23, the attackers broke into the priests' residence, tied them up, brutally beat them for hours and committed robbery. They also threatened to return if the priests did not vacate the place, KCBC reported.
KCBC stated that the authorities were taking a stance that protects the criminals.
Despite widespread protests, the govt systems have adopted an approach that supports anti-Christian moves, without engaging in impartial legal actions, which is a blatant violation of constitutional and human rights. The repeated hostile actions against Christians, who have made significant contributions to the cultural and educational progress of the state, is a serious issue.
Effective intervention by the central govt is urgently needed.
The Odisha govt should ensure exemplary punishment for the attackers who brutally assaulted the priests and take preventive measures to avoid such incidents in the future, KCBC urged.
Fr Leenus Puthanveetil, who was attacked and is under treatment at a hospital in Manjummal, said the attackers put a knife against his neck before slapping him and tying him up. His fellow priest was brutally beaten by the attackers in front of him, he said in a video message.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
10 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Afghan kingpin behind fake Indian passport racket busted in Jabalpur, MP
BHOPAL: A major racket facilitating illegal Afghan nationals in acquiring Indian passports has been busted in Jabalpur district, Madhya Pradesh. The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested three individuals, including the alleged kingpin, an Afghan national identified as Sohbat Khan, who had been living illegally in Jabalpur for the past decade. Khan, who had married a local woman during his stay and managed to obtain an Indian passport in 2020 using forged documents, was reportedly helping other Afghan youths residing illegally in West Bengal and Chhattisgarh to obtain Indian passports using fake address proofs linked to Jabalpur. The two local aides arrested alongside Khan have been identified as Dinesh Garg (40), a resident of Jabalpur's Vijay Nagar area and a forest guard posted at the election cell in the Jabalpur district collector's office, and Mahendra Kumar Sukhdan (45).
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
How an alleged Ponzi scheme targeting Republicans left investors and politicians reeling
A federal receiver is working to recover $140 million lost in an alleged Ponzi scheme that targeted conservatives and funneled money to Republican causes in Georgia and Alabama. The scheme, promoted by conservative pundits, promised high returns but left many investors with substantial losses. Investigations are underway, and some politicians are returning donations received from the scheme's operators. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads A federal receiver is on the hunt to recover $140 million lost in an alleged Ponzi scheme that benefited some Republicans in the top ranks of their party in Georgia and Alabama. He's looking to claw back funds, including almost 1,000 political donations totaling more than $1 million, that often backed far-right Republican of these same politicians say they too lost money, but others left holding the bag for First Liberty Building & Loan are rank-and-file conservatives, swayed by talk show pundits who promoted it as an opportunity for Christians and "America First MAGA patriots.""I worked my whole life to build up savings and have a little bit of retirement so I could just live comfortably," said Michael Tinney, a 59-year-old real estate broker from Cedartown, Georgia. Tinney said he deposited $600,000 after hearing First Liberty pitched on shows hosted by conservatives including Erick Erickson, Hugh Hewitt and Charlie Liberty had promised returns up to 16% by making high-interest loans to businesses. Brant Frost IV, an evangelical powerbroker, touted "Wall Street returns for Main Street investors." But he skimmed $17 million for himself, his relatives and their affiliated companies, and loaned millions more that borrowers never repaid, a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit claims."We've got retired teachers, we've got retired businessmen, we've got retired ministers who have been part of this program as well as doctors, lawyers, everyone else you can imagine," his son, Brant Frost V, said in 2024. Tinney said the younger Frost drove to his office to secure his investment.'Substantial losses' to the investors According to a July 21 report from court-appointed receiver S. Gregory Hays, assets now include just $1.2 million in cash along with some Frost family real told The Associated Press it's too early to estimate how much money is recoverable, but he's moving to foreclose on collateral pledged by borrowers who defaulted, including a failed South Carolina factory. Hays also seized and plans to auction Brant Frost IV's Aston Martin sports car. A social media post celebrating that 2022 purchase is particularly scorned by angry Hays doubts he can get everything back."The investors are going to have substantial losses here," he and Alabama also are investigating. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger urged politicians to return campaign cash. Hays said he's already received $110,000, plus a returned $20,000 charitable said on July 11 that he takes "full responsibility" and would "spend the rest of my life trying to repay as much as I can to the many people I misled and let down."But no criminal charges have been announced, and some Frost relatives retain influential positions in the Georgia Republican Party, whose chairman, Josh McKoon , has had the Frosts' political and financial support. McKoon said the party returned nearly $37,000 in Frost donations and he's "profoundly saddened that members of our conservative movement" lost of the money flowed both ways Campaign disclosures show First Liberty, the Frosts and associated companies contributed widely to Republican causes, including more than $700,000 in Georgia, $150,000 in Alabama and nearly $140,000 in Maine, where the Frosts spent $230,000 over multiple years renting a Kennebunkport vacation donations included $1,000 to former party chairman David Shafer's unsuccessful 2018 lieutenant governor campaign, and tens of thousands to the state party. Shafer pushed efforts to overturn President Donald Trump 's 2020 defeat in Georgia - leading to an indictment - now stalled on pretrial appeal - against Shafer, Trump and others.A company run by Shafer - Springwood Capital - says in a July 10 lawsuit that it lost $200,000 invested in First Liberty. Its attorney, Brent Herrin, said the company is "one of hundreds of defrauded investors." Herrin declined to confirm Shafer owns the company, but financial disclosures show Shafer in 2017 owned at least part of Springwood Capital's parent company. McKoon, who received $4,500 in Frost donations, handled Springwood Capital's incorporation papers. McKoon said he didn't lose any Grubbs, Georgia GOP first vice-chairman, said on a July 16 radio show that "a lot of Republican members ... were heavily invested."In Alabama, Republican state Auditor Andrew Sorrell says he and a political action committee he controls both lost money. He hasn't said how much he lost personally, but records show Alabama Christian Citizens PAC invested $29,000."The company had marketed itself through conservative channels as a 'patriotic' and 'Christian' investment opportunity," Sorrell said, adding he learned a "tough lesson."But Sorrell, now running for Alabama Secretary of State, also benefited: He pocketed $55,000 for his campaigns, while Alabama Christian Citizens and Sorrell's federal-level U.S. Christian Citizens PAC each got $12, words from pundits Erickson, an Atlanta-based syndicated radio host, once steered listeners to the Frosts. "They're active in conservative politics ... good Christian family. I have known them for years. They are wonderful people," he said in 2020."This is how we grow, this is how we fund our movement, and this is how we help out America First MAGA patriots," radio host John Fredericks said during a June 2024 interview with Brant Frost said the hosts made First Liberty sound "pretty credible." Now he calls their warm endorsements a "recipe for disaster," and is still waiting for did call the SEC complaint "disturbing" and "damning" during a July 16 show."I have talked to them many times, never had an inkling that any of that was going on," Fredericks said, adding: "They have to have their day to fight the charges."Holding onto power despite the critics Brant Frost V, accused Wednesday in a Georgia Ethics Commission complaint of illegally influencing elections, resigned from the state Republican committee Thursday and is resigning as Coweta County GOP chairman, McKoon said. Krista Frost , Brant Frost IV's wife, remains on the state committee and Brant Frost V's sister, Katie Frost, remains 3rd Congressional District GOP and some allies won party elections in June after a nominating committee led by Katie Frost endorsed them. McKoon's vanquished rival, David Cross, is contesting those results to the Republican National Committee , saying McKoon and the Frosts engaged in skullduggery. Cross, a financial adviser, says he first reported First Liberty's possible misdeeds to state authorities in 2024. Georgia Republican National Committeewoman Amy Kremer, whose daughter was among those defeated, demanded the Frosts' ouster."We cannot claim to be the party of law and order while turning a blind eye to financial crimes committed under the banner of Republican leadership," Kremer his part, Tinney has something else in mind: "My goal is justice at this point."
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
C'garh court reserves its order on nuns' bail pleas
A special court in Bilaspur on Friday has reserved its order on the bail applications of three people including two Catholic nuns from Kerala who were arrested on charges of human trafficking and forced religious conversion. C'garh court reserves its order on nuns' bail pleas The accused, Preethi Mary and Vandana Francis, along with Sukaman Mandavi, were arrested by the Government Railway Police (GRP) at Durg railway station on July 25, following a complaint by a local Bajrang Dal member. The complainant alleged that the trio had trafficked and forcibly converted three young tribal women from Narayanpur district. The hearing took place on Friday in the court of Principal District and Sessions Judge (NIA Court) Sirajuddin Qureshi. Public Prosecutor Dauram Chandravanshi opposed the bail applications, citing the early stage of the investigation. The court is expected to deliver its order on Saturday. Defence counsel Amrito Das argued that the accused were detained solely on the basis of unverified allegations, and no significant materials were recovered from them. 'The prosecution has not even sought their custodial interrogation. The alleged victims are all adults, already practicing Christianity, and have been sent back home,' he said. He also pointed out that the statements of the women's parents confirmed that they were not being taken away forcibly or fraudulently. The case has taken on political overtones, with a high-profile delegation from the Kerala unit of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) visiting Chhattisgarh on Friday to meet the arrested nuns. The team included MPs Hibi Eden and Kodikunnil Suresh, who alleged that referring the case to a National Investigation Agency (NIA) court by the Durg sessions court was a deliberate attempt to delay bail. 'There is a conspiracy behind shifting the case to the NIA court. It's intended to prolong the legal process and keep the nuns behind bars,' said Suresh, speaking to reporters at Raipur airport. He added that protests were already underway in Kerala, condemning the arrests. MP Hibi Eden questioned the legality of the detention: 'If it's not the jurisdiction of local police or the sessions court, and the NIA is taking over, then why are the nuns still in jail after five days?' He described the arrests as 'unlawful and unjust' and blamed the ruling BJP for targeting Christians. Eden also alleged that in some northern states, Christians have to seek approval from right-wing groups to conduct religious services. 'This is unacceptable in a secular country,' he said, adding that the Congress delegation had also approached the Union Home Minister and written to the Prime Minister regarding the case. The arrest has sparked a political row, with both the Congress and the CPI(M) slamming the move. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, however, has accused the opposition of politicising the matter and interfering with a police investigation. Adding another twist to the case, one of the women allegedly being trafficked, 21-year-old Kamleshwari Pradhan, has claimed she was coerced by Bajrang Dal activists into giving a false statement. She also alleged that the police failed to properly record her version of events. According to Pradhan, her family has been practicing Christianity for the last four to five years.
