Orissa priest who survived Hindu fundamentalist attack dies of dengue
<http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0805492.htm>http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0805492.htm

By Anto Akkara
<http://www.catholicnews.com/index.html>Catholic News Service

BANGALORE, India (CNS) -- Father Bernard Digal, the Bhubaneswar 
archdiocesan procurator who survived an attack by Hindu extremists 
and had been hospitalized for a month, died of dengue fever Oct. 28.

"We are saddened by Father Bernard's untimely demise," Archbishop 
Raphael Cheenath of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar told 
<http://www.catholicnews.com/index.html>Catholic News Service.

"He was a dedicated priest at the service of the people," Archbishop 
Cheenath said of the 46-year-old priest from the Kandhamal district 
in Orissa state.

Father Digal was beaten by Hindu extremists and left to die in the 
jungle Aug. 26 before he was moved to a local government hospital. On 
Aug. 28 he was airlifted to Holy Spirit Hospital in Mumbai.

Father Digal fell into the hands of the extremists when he walked 
more than 10 miles into the jungle to fetch a motorbike to rescue an 
elderly priest. The elderly priest had been stranded in the violence 
after his own van was set on fire by the Hindu fundamentalists.

Archbishop Cheenath said the funeral arrangements for the priest had 
to be finalized, but he confirmed the funeral would be held in Kandhamal.

The violence in Orissa began Aug. 24, the day after a Hindu leader 
and four associates were killed in the Kandhamal district. The 
leader, Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, had for decades opposed 
Christian missionary activities and Hindus converting to 
Christianity. A Maoist group claimed responsibility for the murders, 
but the Hindu extremists blamed Christians for the murders and began 
attacking them.

END


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