Special security arrangements have been made in parts of Orissa as District and Sessions Judge Mahendra Nath Patnaik is expected to deliver his verdict in the Graham Staines murder case on Monday, officials said in Bhubaneswar.
From Rediff Archives: Journey into Orissa's land of strife
The case involves the murder of Australian missionary Graham Stuart Staines and his two minor sons Philip and Timothy at Monoharpur village in Keonjhar district on January 22, 1999 allegedly by a group of Hindu fanatics led by Dara Singh.
Prohibitory orders have been clamped in the court and its vicinity, district Superintendent of Police Arun Sarangi told rediff.com. An additional superintendent of police has been put in charge of the security arrangements.
Fearing a law and order problem in pockets of Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj, police has tightened security in all sensitive places in both the districts.
Police has also provided security cover to Gladys Staines, widow of the Australian missionary who resides at Baripada, a home department official told rediff.com.
Interestingly, a two-member team from the Australian high commission led by Consul Mark Webslor has arrived in Bhubaneswar to hear the judgment.
Interviews:
Gladys Staines: 'Baripada is now my home'
Pravin Togadia: 'Churches are running hate campaigns'
Pratapchand Sarangi: 'Their agenda is to convert poor people to Christianity'
Specials:
'If we are converting, wouldn't there be only Christians...?'
Columns:
Why isn't the media accountable?
Heal yourself first, your Holiness
Till Retaliation Do Us Part
Attacks on Christian
More reports from Orissa
