Violence against Christians in the Indian state of Orissa continued for a third day Thursday even as hundreds of armed police patrolled parts of eastern India.
According to unconfirmed reports by the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), at least 2,000 believers have been injured and about 20 churches damaged since the violence initially broke out Christmas eve.
"The believers in Orissa had their worst ever Christmas," lamented GCIC.
On Monday, a mob allegedly led by activists affiliated with the Vi?va Hind? Pari?ad (World Hindu Council) had reportedly killed at least two and damaged 12 churches in the Kandhamal district, where at least 100,000 of 650,000-person population are reportedly Christian.
All Catholic institutions in the area, including a convent and seminary, were attacked. Rioters also targeted two church-run hostels and high schools as well as a few shops managed by Christians in the small town of Bamunigam.
"A series of well-planned attacks on innocent Christians and their leaders have completely shocked us," reported Fr. Babu Joseph, spokesperson for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, "and we are deeply pained at a time when we are celebrating peace and harmony of Christmas."
"These attacks on Christians on the day of Christmas seem to suggest a planned effort to disturb communal peace by some misguided and anti-social elements," he added.
"What is more worrying and disheartening to note is the manner in which the unruly mob went on rampaging in villages where Christians were preparing to celebrate Christmas with a near total impunity."
Police had said they had deployed hundreds of armed officers to the area, restoring calm after hard-line Hindus initially marred Christmas celebrations in Orissa state.
However, Radhakant Nayak, a member of the Indian parliament's upper house and a Christian leader in the area, said there was no evidence that forces were on the ground.
"The state government has been saying they have sent forces, but on the ground we are hearing there is no force. The situation is still tense," he told the CNN-IBN news channel.
