Indian priest receives death threat

(July 08, 2010) Christians in India’s Madhya Pradesh state have demanded the administration ensure the safety of a priest who received a death threat. Father Anand Muttungal lodged a police complaint in the state capital, Bhopal, on July 6, a day after he received the threat on his mobile phone from an anonymous caller. “The caller not only issued a threat to my life but also abused me using filthy language,” said the priest who is spokesperson for the Catholic Church in the state. The caller told him to stop all welfare work, failing which he would be “eliminated,” he said. The priest said he received a similar call more than a month ago but did not take it seriously. Nevertheless, he is unfazed by the threats, he said. A four-member delegation of the ecumenical forum Madhya Pradesh Isai Mahasangh, Grand Assembly of Christians, called on a state official on July 6 and submitted a memorandum demanding protection for the priest. Father Muttungal is a founder of the Madhya Pradesh Isai Mahasangh which aims to unite Christians in curbing attacks on their communities.