Seven female Christian students missing in eastern India violence - official

BHUBANESWAR, INDIA - At least seven teenage girls were missing in eastern India where Christian-Hindu violence left over 9 dead and more than 60 churches damaged, a state government official said Sunday.

Enlarge this picture7 female Christian students missing in violence-hit Orissa, says official...A boarding school informed police about the missing ninth grade students on Saturday, said Satyenbrata Sahu, a divisional commissioner.

"We suspect they have run away out of fear," he told The Associated Press, adding police were searching for the girls.

On Sunday, more than 1000 Christians held protest in the capital urging the government to punish the attackers and protect the Christian community in the state.

Over 700 Christians fearing attacks, have taken shelter in government run relief camps.

"Many priests, nuns and ordinary Christians are hiding in the forest to escape the wrath of Hindu activists," said Dominic Emmanuel, a spokesman for the New Delhi Catholic Archdiocese.

Dr Sajan George, President of Global Council of Indian Christians, an advocacy group based in Bangalore said, "The Christians who are already attacked and those who are in great fear of being attacked feel with sufficient reason that they are left to the mercy of the fundamentalists."

"In conclusion, it is clear that the administration miserably failed to take necessary and effective steps to prevent such unprecedented outbreak of violence and the destruction of establishments of Christian community in Kandhamal District," he added.