Pastor found murdered in Andhra Pradesh

A young pastor was found dead under mysterious circumstances in a canal in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, bringing back the memories of other Christian leaders who were murdered earlier.

Pastor Goda Israel, 29, was found dead with multiple stab wounds, February 20, in a canal near his house in Pedapallparru village in the Gudivada area of the district.

Pastor Israel had been serving the Lord independently in the area ever since he graduated from the Emmanuel Bible Institute managed by the Emmanuel Mission International (EMI), in Kota, Rajasthan in February 2003.

The slain pastor, who is survived by his wife and little children, was overseeing 15 churches that he established in the region.

"Pastor Israel had earlier been threatened by Hindu extremists due to his involvement in the preaching of the gospel in the area, but he had no enmity with anyone," an EMI leader who requested anonymity told Compass. He added that persecution of Christians was common in Andhra Pradesh.

Pastor Israel was last sighted, February 17, as he left for his usual prayer meeting at a nearby village. However, when he failed to return, his family members raised hue and cry and rushed to the Gudivada police station to seek help. However, the local police officers refused to conduct a search, saying that he was "safe" and would return soon.

Subsequently, Inspector Venkat Rao confirmed that Pastor Israel was murdered. "We have filed a case under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, and the autopsy report is awaited," he said.

Inspector Rao said he could not say what injuries Israel had suffered until the autopsy report was completed, but the EMI source said the pastor's body was found with stab wounds.

Asked if Hindu extremists were behind the killing, Inspector Rao said that could not be known with certainty as the case was still under investigation.

"Once we have an initial report of the findings, we will make arrests," Rao said. "We assure you that the slain pastor and his family members will get justice."

Pastor Israel's murder has raised questions about the safety of lives of the minority community in Andhra Pradesh.

In May 2005, two pastors, K. Daniel and K. Isaac Raju, were found murdered near state capital, Hyderabad.

Unknown persons called both pastors by phone before they disappeared, asking if they would act as wedding celebrants. Pastor Raju went to meet a caller in Anantpur district on May 24, 2005 and disappeared; an unidentified caller later phoned police on June 2, describing where to find the pastor's body.

Similarly, callers met Pastor Daniel in an auto–rickshaw on May 21 and took him to a cemetery in Karwan, where they severely beat him and strangled him, before dumping his body on the city outskirts.

The New Indian Express newspaper on June 27, 2005 quoted a man identified only as Goverdhan who claimed that he and two friends had murdered the two preachers.

"I am not against Christianity, but Raju and Daniel converted hundreds of Hindu families," Goverdhan said. "They enticed them with money. We have done this to prevent further conversions. This act should be a lesson for others."

Earlier, on September 11, 2000, two unidentified persons beheaded Pastor Yesu Dasu, 52, on the outskirts of Mustabad in Andhra Pradesh's Karimnagar district.

Pastor Dasu's body was found in a pool of blood at a cattle shed near Kothakunta, along the Mustabad–Siddipet highway, near Karimnagar. Hindu extremists had earlier warned the pastor to cease preaching or face the consequences.

Seven years later, Pastor Dasu's case, like others, remains unsolved.