Rome, Italy, Jan 19, 2004 / 22:00 pm
The Salesian News Agency is reporting this week that a Salesian priest was attacked by Hindu fundamentalists in the Indian region of Jabhua, where violence against Catholic religious is on the rise.
Fr. Stanny Ferreira, a Salesian missionary who for years has been dedicated to helping those most in need in the Indian regions of Gujarat and Alirajpur, was beaten by a group of Hindu fundamentalists last week as we was making his way to the Salesian house in Jabhua. His car was forced off the road into a ravine and he was pulled from the car and attacked.
Local police arrived in time to save Fr. Ferreira’s life, and he was taken to a safe place and treated for cuts and bruises to the head.
A few days earlier, Salesian missionaries in Jabhua found the body of a 9 year-old girl that was left on mission property. The Salesians notified the police, but Hindu fundamentalists used the incident to attack the missionaries.