Source:  www.assistnews.net

Date:  October 21, 2007

By Jeremy Reynalds
Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

KERALA, INDIA (ANS) -- A Dalit Christian woman was raped and murdered in India.

According to a news release from Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service, the body of Chellarian Rita, 36, was found on Oct. 19 in the Kannur district of Kerala State. Police said she had been murdered.

"She died because of a serious (head) wound," police told SVM. She had a deep wound to her forehead and her clothes were completely torn off, police added.

According to SVM, Rita had gone to the ration shop at Kannoth on Thursday morning from her house to purchase rice and failed to return. Her relatives and local residents searched for her in relatives' houses till nightfall.

Finally Jose, Rita's husband, went to the a local police station at about 10 p.m. to report her missing.

In the morning police found her body on the roadside near a graveyard. Close to her body was a liquor bottle along with scattered rice.

SVM reported that police are investigating the incident.

Rita was married to Jose for about 14 years. The couple had no children.

Paul Ciniraj, president of the Christian Ministers of the Churches of India, condemned Rita's murder. He asked the government to find those responsible and to arrest them immediately.

Speaking in the SVM news release Ciniraj said, "Rita was brutally raped and killed. She is a victim of Dalit Christian persecution. The murderers must not have any kindness from the police, court and government."

Salem Voice Ministries ministers the gospel and provides relief services in India and third world countries.

For more information go to www.salemvoice.org/about.html