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 Many Christians were injured when hundreds of Hindu activists stormed a Christian college in Orissa and beat up its staff members and students on 28 February 2007.
According to Sajan George, the national president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), which represents the churches and mission groups, "Around 500 radicals forcibly entered the campus of Believers Church Bible College and their office located in Brajarajnagar in Orissa's Jharsuguda district. “They attacked everyone on the campus, leaving many injured. Only five policemen arrived following a complaint. But they just remained silent spectators while the mob went around attacking and destroying the property,” he said. “The situation continues to remain tense," Sajan George said. He said GCIC representatives managed to contact senior police officers who "assured us to give sufficient protection." The GCIC leader said the campus was currently without electricity as the militants “disrupted the electric supply by disconnecting and cutting all the electric wires”. He said the GCIC was informed that the law enforcement officials would soon record statements of the injured persons and carry out medical examinations on the campus. The incident happened just a few days after the gruesome attack on a Bible college run by Gospel for Asia (GFA) in the neighbouring Maharashtra on 18 February 2007, leaving five students severely injured. Two of the injured students continued to be in a critical condition. All India Christian Council (aicc) expressed serious concern over the spate of attacks against Christians and their institutions in Orissa. “The latest attack shows the growing trend of violence against Christians in the State.” It may be remembered that Orissa made headlines when Australian missionary Graham Stuart Staines and his two sons Timothy (9) and Philip (7), were burnt alive in a station wagon at Manoharpur village in Orissa's Keonjhar district in 1999. He had been working in Orissa among the poor, especially the people suffering from leprosy since 1965, the Council noted. The Council submitted a memorandum to the District Collector of Jharsuguda with copies to the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, Director General of Police, DGI of Police Western Range, and District Superintendent of Police, Jharsuguda. The Council would represent the case to the Chief Minister and the Governor.
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