Staines killer refused custodial parole

The Supreme Court has refused custodial parole to Dara Singh, the killer of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two minor sons.

A Bench comprising justices P Sathasivam and H L Dattu said it cannot grant the parole to Dara to travel from Orissa to Allahabad for immersing the ashes of his father, who had died in 2003.

The Bench did not consider the submission of Dara's counsel Sibu Shankar Mishra that the convict was not even allowed permission to perform the last rites of his father, media reported.

He submitted that it is the desire of Dara's 77-year-old mother that the ashes of his father be immersed in the holy Ganga.

Led by Dara Singh, a violent Hindu mob burnt alive Graham Staines and his two sons in their station wagon in Orissa in January 1999. Singh alleged that Staines was converting local tribals and Hindus to Christianity.

In September 2003, the District and Sessions Court of Khurda sentenced Singh to death. The court also awarded life imprisonment to 12 others. However, in May 2005, the Orissa High Court commuted his death sentence to one that of life imprisonment.

Besides the killing of the Australian missionary, Dara Singh, alias Rabindra Kumar Pal, is also the prime accused in the murder of Arul Doss, priest of Jambani church in Mayurbhanj district.

Fr. Doss had succumbed to arrow–shot injuries when Dara and 21 others allegedly raided the church in 1999 a few months before the murder of Graham Staines.