Anti-Christian Motives Suspected in Evangelist's Slaying in India
NEW DELHI (Compass Direct News) – The gruesome nature of the May 2 murder of an evangelist in Bihar state who had no enmity with anyone has led area Christians to suspect anti-Christian motives.
The mutilated body of Ravi Murmu, 32, was found in Jamalpur, Munger district, with the right hand nearly severed by means of a sharp weapon, and the jaw and neck were similarly slashed.
"Efforts were made to chop off his hand and neck, trying to separate it from his body," Shekhar Kumar, a member of his church, told Compass.
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Police are investigating but have made no arrests so far.
"All his belongings were intact, which included his motorbike, Bible, cell phone, wristwatch and some cash," Murmu's brother-in-law, Shiv Kumar, told Compass. "This seems to be a planned murder. That is why Ravi was targeted when he was alone. To me the motive seems to be anti-Christian."
Murmu's pastor, Yunus Mandal of Bethel Brethren Assembly in Jamalpur, agreed.
"The intention behind the murder evidently is not robbery," Mandal said. "I am suspicious that Hindu fundamentalists have done this, but this could also be the handiwork of the Naxalites [Maoist rebels]."
Kumar and Murmu's widow, Rinku Murmu, both said the evangelist had no enmity with anyone, and that anti-Christian sentiment was the only motive they could surmise.
Murmu was returning from showing a film about the life of Jesus, "Dayasagar," in nearby Lakshmanpur. He had accompanied a team of seven evangelists showing the film but was alone when attacked. The murder is estimated to have taken place between 9:30 and 10 p.m.
He is survived by his wife, 8-year-old daughter Celesty and his widowed mother.
Past Assault
Pastor Mandal's wife, Mary Mandal, said anti-Christian hostilities are common in the area but did not reach Murmu.
"It is 32 years that my husband is ministering in Jamalpur, and he has faced threats day in and day out," she told Compass. "But we never imagined such a thing would happen to Ravi."
About a year and half ago, however, Murmu was attacked along with others in another part of the state, Pastor Mandal said.
"Ravi Murmu, myself and a team of 10 Christians were visiting the Newada area of Bihar, about 160 kilometers [99 miles] from Jamalpur, for the purpose of preaching the gospel," he said. "There we were attacked by about 15 members of the [Hindu extremist] Bajrang Dal."
In the assault Pastor Mandal suffered serious injury to his eye, which bled profusely, he said.
"Ravi at that time was also beaten up and sustained injuries on the face and to his teeth," he said. "They would have killed us, but they found money in our possession worth about 180 U.S. dollars, and so they looted it and fled."
In 2008, he added, members of the local Hindu student union protested when a family decided to follow Christ after a healing through prayer. But overall, Murmu had amicable relations with everyone, he said.
"Ravi was a very open-hearted, kind, honest, balanced and sensible human being," Pastor Mandal said. "He was a pearl of our assembly. The loss is immense."
Police detained two people in connection with the murder but later let them go.
Church members requested that Compass not speak with local police, fearing that resentful officers would further antagonize them; already police have asked pointed questions of the seven others on the evangelism team and of Murmu's widow, as well as searching their homes, they said.
An autopsy was performed on May 3, but the report has not yet been submitted to police or handed over to the family members, they said.
Lonely Road
Rinku Murmu said she and her husband were to celebrate their 11th wedding anniversary on June 23.
She told Compass that her husband had preached Christ in Lakshmanpur for two years.
"He left home as usual but had informed me that he would come home late, as they had plans to show the film about Jesus to the villagers," she said. "The next morning at 6 o' clock, someone came home to inform me that a mutilated body has been found and that I should go and identify it. I could not believe it, and I took Pastor Mandal along with me."
Murmu's body was found on Margret road, East Colony area of Lakshmanpur, about four kilometers (less than two miles) from his house. One leg was stuck under the motorcycle.
"He was killed ruthlessly," said Pastor Mandal.
Shekhar Kumar, who was one of the seven team members showing the film that day, told Compass that they had publicized the film for nearly 10 days and had also invited surrounding villagers.
"About 150 to 200 people had gathered to watch the film – there were Christians as well as Hindus," Kumar said. "The generator broke down in the middle of the film, and even after many efforts we could not repair it."
The team announced to the gathering that the rest of the film would be continued the next day, and they went home.
"The road divides at one point – one part goes towards Ravi and Pastor Mandal's house, and the other goes toward Choti Keshavpur village, where the six of us live," Kumar said. "Departing at that point, we said goodbye to Ravi, and he went alone on that deserted road. It was around 9:30 p.m. at that time."
Pastor Mandal, who had returned earlier, had taken the same road half an hour ahead of Murmu, he added.
Murmu's wife told police that she had called her husband's cell phone at 10 p.m. from a neighbor's house and he did not answer the call, so police estimated the murder to have taken place between 9:30 and 10 p.m.
"I pray that God would change the hearts of those who have done this," Rinku Murmu said. "My prayer is that one day they too would carry the cross of Christ and share the Good News."
