Gladys Staines reaffirms forgiveness as convict in family's murder seeks release
Based on 2 sources Updated 1 week ago
The Supreme Court of India is currently reviewing a remission plea from Rabindra Kumar Pal, also known as Dara Singh, who is the primary convict in the 1999 murders of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two young sons, Philip and Timothy. The victims were killed by a mob in the Indian state of Odisha. Singh, who has served over 26 years in prison, filed for early release in 2024, prompting the Supreme Court to repeatedly urge the Odisha state government to reach a final decision on his petition through its State Sentence Review Board.
In response to the ongoing legal proceedings, Gladys Staines, the widow and mother of the victims, has publicly reiterated her stance of forgiveness. Citing the teachings of Jesus, she stated that she holds no bitterness and believes that forgiveness is essential for healing. She noted that she does not intend to provide further commentary on the legal process, leaving the matter to the authorities. The Supreme Court has continued to adjourn the case to allow the state government time to finalize its decision.