Paul KeenanCase stems from Orissa violence in 2008
Three men have been convicted for their part in the rape of a Catholic nun during anti-Christian violence in 2008.
Following a long wait for justice in the case, the Cuttack district court ruled March 14 on the guilt of three of perpetrators of the rape on Servite Sister Meena Barwa. One of those convicted, Mitu Patnaik, was sentenced to 11 years in prison, while Gajendra Digal and Saroj Badhai were each sentenced to two and a half years for abetting the rape.
Sister Meena fell into the hands of Hindu fundamentalists who attacked Christians in Orissa at the end of 2008 in response to the murder of one of their leaders. Stripped naked and paraded through a village, the nun’s captors had first elected to burn her to death before later deciding to gang rape her. She was finally released by police responding to the rioting many hours after her ordeal had begun.
Since the rape, Sister Meena has faced numerous threats to her life for attempting to have justice served on her attackers, a reality which forced the Orissa High Court to transfer the case to Cuttack to provide a measure of safety during the court hearing.