World News
Indian court reviews early release plea from convict in 1999 Staines murders
Dara Singh, serving life terms for the killings of an Australian missionary, his sons, and two other minority figures, has sought remission citing over 25 years served.
The short version
- Dara Singh, convicted of leading a mob that burned alive missionary Graham Staines and his two sons in 1999, has petitioned for early prison release.
- India's Supreme Court set a deadline of September 2 for Odisha's Sentence Review Board to decide on the remission plea before the court intervenes directly.
- The potential release has sparked apprehension among Christian and minority communities in India given the history of sectarian violence.
Key facts
- Dara Singh, also known as Rabindra Kumar Pal, was convicted of murdering Australian missionary Graham Staines and his six- and ten-year-old sons by burning them alive in their vehicle in Odisha in January 1999.[BBC News]
- Singh is also serving life sentences for leading mobs that killed Catholic priest Arul Das and Muslim merchant Shaikh Rahaman in separate 1999 attacks.[BBC News]
- In his July 2024 remission plea, Singh cited good behavior and over 25 years spent in prison, attributing his past actions to youth and stating he felt deep regret.[BBC News]
- A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court stated that if the Sentence Review Board did not issue a decision by September 2, the court would rule on the matter itself.[BBC News]
What remains uncertain
- Whether the Sentence Review Board or the Supreme Court will grant Singh's petition for remission remains undecided.[BBC News]