Police in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu have discovered the charred body of an Evangelical pastor who had been missing for about 10 days. The family identified the body by recognizing his belt, shoes and glasses.
Pastor Abraham Parambil Thekkethil, of Vayalar Nagar Manthippara St. Thomas Evangelical Church, was found deceased near the Idukki-Tamil Nadu border, local media outlet Onmanorama reported, adding that his identity was confirmed by his son.
Forensic experts have claimed the death might have been a suicide.
The pastor is believed to have self-immolated using petrol. This theory is supported by the presence of an unburned arm, likely used to pour the inflammable liquid, and a nearby lighter. Tamil Nadu fingerprint experts also investigated the scene, according to the report.
A missing person report for Abraham was filed last Monday by the church’s head priest, identified only as Jijo. Abraham had been missing since the previous Monday morning.
Abraham, who leaves behind a wife and two sons, aged 27 and 24, had ventured into a business producing candles and frankincense, among other items, before the COVID-19 lockdowns. The pandemic severely impacted his business, leading to debts of nearly 2 million Indian rupees (roughly $24,000). Although he received some financial assistance from friends and relatives, it was insufficient to clear his debts.
Abraham’s visits to his home in the Pathanamthitta area of the neighboring Kerala state were infrequent, occurring roughly every three weeks.
After various tests, including DNA analysis, Abraham’s remains will be released to his family, according to the report.
This incident occurs against a backdrop of increasing violence against Christians in India.
Christians, who constitute about 2.3% of India’s population, have faced growing suppression, as noted by the U.S. State Department.
The United Christian Forum (UCF) in India reports a significant rise in attacks on Christians since 2014, with a notable surge in 2021 and 2022. The year 2021 was particularly alarming, labeled as the “most violent year” in India’s history for Christians, with at least 486 violent incidents of persecution reported.
The first half of 2023 saw a surge in violence against Christians across 23 states, according to the UCF, which identified 400 incidents, up from 274 reported over the same period the previous year.
The UCF’s annual report highlighted that vigilante mobs, often composed of religious extremists, frequently disrupt prayer gatherings or target individuals suspected of forcible religious conversions. The UCF attributes the high incidence of Christian persecution to a sense of “impunity,” leading to mobs threatening and physically assaulting people in prayer before accusing them of forcible conversions to the police.
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