The Christian group throughout India is in mourning following the tragic demise of 26-year-old Bibash Nayak, son of the Moderator of the Church of North India (CNI), who misplaced his life while making an attempt to guard two girls from sexual assault close to the historic Hampi heritage web site in Karnataka.
Bibash, described by the CNI Synod as “a God-fearing, humble, and devoted younger man”, drowned after being pushed into the Tungabhadra River canal on the evening of 6 March. He and two companions had intervened when three assailants tried to sexually assault their feminine companions – an Israeli vacationer and an area homestay operator.
The Incident
The deadly incident occurred round 11:30 PM on Thursday, 6 March, when the group of 5 – together with two overseas nationals – had been stargazing close to the Tungabhadra Canal near Sanapur Lake, roughly 4 kilometres from Hampi.
In line with police reviews, three males on bikes approached the group initially asking for petrol. The interplay rapidly escalated when the boys demanded cash from the vacationers. After Bibash handed them 20 rupees, the assailants turned violent and pushed Bibash and his two male companions – Daniel Pitas, a 23-year-old American, and Pankaj Patil, a 42-year-old from Maharashtra’s Nasik – into the canal.
While Daniel and Pankaj managed to swim to security, Bibash was tragically unable to flee the waters. His physique was recovered by Karnataka police two days in a while 8 March.
Within the aftermath of pushing the boys into the canal, two of the attackers allegedly raped the homestay proprietor and the 27-year-old Israeli vacationer earlier than fleeing with 9,500 rupees in money and two cell phones.
Police Response
Hampi police superintendent Ram Arasiddi advised reporters that authorities have arrested three males in reference to the assault. Initially, two native residents – recognized as Mallesh and Sai Chetan – had been apprehended on 8 March. The third suspect, who had fled to Tamil Nadu following the crime, was captured on Sunday, 10 March.
The accused have been charged underneath a number of sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), together with Part 309(6) for theft of extortion, Part 311 for theft with intent to trigger demise or severe harm, Part 70(1) for gang-rape, and Part 109 for tried homicide. Homicide fees associated to Bibash’s demise have additionally been added.
Police consider the boys, described as development employees “underneath the affect of unlawful substances”, adopted the vacationer group earlier than attacking them.
In response to the incident, the Karnataka authorities has directed police to reinforce safety measures for vacationers within the area to stop such occurrences sooner or later.
A Life Remembered
Bibash Nayak was a local of Derabadi village in Kandhamal district, Odisha. On the time of his demise, he was working within the administrative division of St Stephen’s Hospital in New Delhi, while his dad and mom had been residing in Agra for a number of years.
His father, Bishop Bijay Kumar Nayak, serves because the sixteenth Moderator of the Church of North India and can be the Bishop of the Diocese of Agra, CNI. Bibash was the youthful of two siblings.
The CNI Synod expressed “profound unhappiness and deep grief” over his demise in a condolence message on their Fb web page, stating: “We, because the Church of North India household, categorical our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the Most Revd. B. Ok. Nayak, his spouse, and the whole household. Could the peace of Christ that surpasses all understanding consolation them on this season of sorrow and loss.”
The message additional described Bibash as somebody recognized for his “unwavering religion in Christ and his dedication to the Church” who “touched the lives of many together with his light spirit, kindness, and compassionate coronary heart.”
Neighborhood in Mourning
The Christian group in Odisha has been significantly affected by the loss. Bipra Charan Nayak, a Christian chief in Kandhamal district (not associated to the household), referred to as it “unhappy information for the minority Christians of Odisha” and mentioned the demise of their chief’s solely son had evoked robust feelings amongst Odisha Christians.
Mamata Pradhan, a resident of Terabadi, expressed the group’s grief, saying they’re “pained and wounded with the information of demise of our son. Could his soul relaxation in peace.”
Bibash’s physique was returned to his village on Sunday afternoon, 10 March. His funeral procession started round 4 PM, with tons of of mourners gathering to bid farewell as he was laid to relaxation on the Mission Campus in G Udayagiri following Christian rituals.
The environment within the locality was described as sombre, with a pall of gloom hanging over the area as pals, kin, relations, and church fathers gathered to pay their closing respects to the younger man who misplaced his life while making an attempt to guard others.
Hampi, the positioning of the tragedy, is house to quite a few ruins and temples from the Vijayanagara Empire and was declared a World Heritage Website by UNESCO in 1986.
