Maoist couple involved in swami’s murder surrenders in Orissa

(July 20, 2009) Eleven months after the assassination of a Hindu leader sparked unprecedented anti-Christian violence in eastern India’s Orissa state, a young couple that claimed the murder surrendered to police. Surendra Brekedda, 20, and his wife Jaya Ruppy, 19, both members of the banned guerrilla group commonly known as Maoists or Naxalites, surrendered to police in Orissa’s southern district of Rayagada. According to District Superintendent of Police Ashish Kumar Singh, the young man confessed that he was involved in the murder of Swami Laxmanananda on August 23^rd, 2008, and that he hoped that his surrender will encourage more people to do the same. In fact as early as October 2008 Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda had claimed responsibility for the death of the Hindu leader, but Hindu fanatics blamed Christians for it and wreaked havoc on them, especially in Khandamal district. Murders, rapes and other forms of violence were inflicted on the Christian community. Sajan K George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) and other human righs organizations are urging Hindu fundamentalist leaders to stop spreading “false accusations” against Christians about their involvement in the swami’s death.