Mahendra Hembram is one of the criminals convicted of murder by Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two young sons. Photo: Special arrangement
After 25 years in prison, one of the criminals who were found guilty of murder by Australian missionary Graham Staines, Mahendra Hembram, was murdered and his two young sons were released from Keonjhar Prison in Odisha, 200 kilometers away from here, on the grounds of “good behavior”.
Hembram participated in catching a fire on the van, and the missionary and his two young sons went to bed on January 22, 1999. The Odisha State Judgment Review Board recommended his release, while the Keonjhar prison authorities insisted that it was conducted under the law.
Meanwhile, Dara Singh, the main criminal in the case, is still in prison. A campaign released by Singh earlier received support from current Chief Minister Mohan Majhi during his tenure as Keonjhar MLA.
Read also | The Supreme Court demanded that Odisha decide to decide on the premature release of Graham Stans murder criminals within six weeks.
Hembram, 25, was part of the mob involved in the murders that shocked the conscience of human beings all over the world. Now 50, he was spent when he was released because his supporters brought up the slogan “Jai Shri Ram”.
Between 1999 and 2000, a total of 51 people were arrested. Among them, 37 were acquitted during the initial trial. 14 people, including Dara Singh and Hembram, were convicted by the designated Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court. Later, another 11 were innocent in the Odisha High Court.
The sentence ranges from 14 years in prison to death. Dara Singh’s death penalty ended up being sentenced to life in prison for commuting. The teenager Chenchu ​​Hansdah was released in 2008 after appeal.
publishing – April 17, 2025 at 12:10 am IST
