Nun kidnapped, stripped in Bihar; Bishops protest

The nun, who hails from Pondicherry, came to Bihar recently and does not know the dialect. She is an inmate of the St. Joseph8217;s Convent in Khalpura Inchapra which is involved in working with the poorest of the poor.

She had left her convent around 9 in the morning for Gandhi Chowk from where she took an autorickshaw for the local post office. There were two men in the autorickshaw.

When she realised that she was being taken through an unfamiliar route, she asked to be dropped off. They did not stop the vehicle and one of them took out a knife, threatened to kill her and accused her of converting people.

Heasked her why she and others were still in Chapra and why they have not left for south India. He told her that Christians would be taught a lesson once the elections were over.

According to the Bishop of Bettiah, who in a statement narrated the whole incident, the nun was dragged out of the vehicle, her hands tied and then she was stripped. The two men urinated in a bottle and threatened to rape her when she refused to drink the urine.

Later she was given back her clothes and warned not to contact anyone on the phone. One of the attackers followed to make sure that she did as told.

Director General of Police A R Jacob said: 8220;I have been briefed by the Bishop of Patna about the incident.8221; He added: 8220;Right now, I am unable to say anything about the incident. But I am seriously looking into it. I can assure that no one will be spared.8221;

Jacob has assigned IG A K Gupta and the SP of Chapra to 8220;personally investigate the matter.8221; He has also sent to Chapra a senior woman officer who knows Tamil toinvestigate the incident.

The DGP said the FIR was filed only today as the local police station refused to register the case yesterday because the petition was in English. He is also looking into the delay in registering the case.

The Bishop of Bettiah, Rev Victor Henry Thakur, visited the convent. The Archbishop Benedict J Osta and the Bishop of Bettiah have strongly condemned the outrageous attack and have demanded a thorough probe.

They stated that the Christians will not be frightened by such threats and will continue to serve the poor and the distressed more zealously.

Allen R Johannes, press secretary of the Diocese of Bettiah, said the ugly and inhuman act has shocked the entire Christian community in North Bihar and is creating an atmosphere of fear and panic among the Christian minority as the news spreads over the state.