India’s Famed Evangelist Pagadala Found Dead
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
NEW DELHI (Worthy News) – Pastor Praveen Pagadala, one of India’s most well-known Christian evangelists, has been found dead under alleged suspicious circumstances in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, Worthy News learned Wednesday. He was 46.
The body of the preacher was discovered March 25 in a roadside ditch, a day after he left on his motorbike to attend a Christian convention at Chagallu village near the city of Rajahmundry, said Christians familiar with the situation.
While police classified the incident “as a road accident,” supporters of the late pastor claimed his death was a “premeditated, cold-blooded murder.”
They suggested the pastor had been “martyred by religious extremists” due to his outspoken defense of Christianity in India, a mainly Hindu nation.
The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), the influential Indian National Congress party’s regional representation, also expressed concern.
APCC President Y S Sharmila alleged that pastor Pagadala’s death was a “meticulously planned murder” and not a road accident.
Christians noticed that his motorbike was found on top of his dead body, and his face was mangled with bruises and blood.
NO INJURY MARKS
They argued that there were no other injury marks on the rest of his body. Even the motorbike, a powerful 350cc two-wheeler, did not have any tangible damages akin to a road accident, according to investigators.
A distinctive shoe mark was reportedly discovered on the right chest of his shirt, suggesting he may have been kicked forcefully.
Additionally, wood splinters were found near the site, accompanied by blood stains, raising further suspicion about the circumstances surrounding his death.
Andhra Pradesh chief minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, directed police “to conduct a detailed inquiry” into the death of pastor Pagadala, Worthy News established.
The order came as nearly 100,000 people attended the funeral possession of Pagadala in Hyderabad, the capital of the neighboring Indian state of Telangana, where he had been preaching as well, according to Christian estimates.
The advocacy group International Christian Concern wasn’t surprised by this massive outpouring of support for the late pastor and his family.
“He was a great Christian scholar and the founder of “Sakshi Apologetics.” He held public debates on television with leaders of all major religions and always established Christianity as the truth with his strong research and study,” ICC explained. “He was also a kind-hearted person who was involved in extensive social work among orphans and the downtrodden. He also preached on Christian TV channels and spoke to many churches in the area.”
STILL PRAISING GOD
Pastor Praveen is survived by his wife and two young children. “I praise God for what he is or was,” said his wife, Jessica Praveen, in emotionally charged remarks seen by Worthy News.
“I am very proud of the ministry he did. And now me, my family, and everybody here has to continue the ministry that he has shown us,” she said.
In separate remarks, she spoke against revenge. “Let us forgive as Jesus forgives.”
Yet his death highlighted concerns about the growing pressure on devoted Christians across India, Christian leaders suggested.
“We cannot let the life of such a powerful voice in the Christian community end under a cloud of suspicion. The truth must come out,” Evangelist K.A. Paul told journalists.
Pastor V. David Naveen, who joined a protest near the hospital where the late pastor’s body had been, said the death of a pastor “under mysterious circumstances is a blow to the image of communal harmony in the region.”
Christians comprise roughly 2.3 percent of India’s predominantly Hindu population of 1.4 billion people, according to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
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