Orissa, NEPAL, July, 2008 (SJ Headlines)... In the Kandhamal district of Orissa, a state which saw acts of violence against Christians in December 2007, fighting broke out anew on 8 July. Sparked by reports that a cow had been killed by Dalits who habitually eat meat, unlike Brahmins (members of the highest caste), and around fifteen men from the town attacked the local Jesuit residence. Antony Raj SJ reports: "[They] destroyed both the gates, entered the premises and broke a cross in the chapel, beheaded the statue of St. Ignatius of Loyola and threw the liturgical books and the Bible out. They also broke a few windows, two cabinets, a wash basin and a refrigerator in the residence and spread the rumour that there was beef in the fridge. They also stole things from three rooms that were not locked."

No Jesuits were present at the residence at that time, but the cook had to flee to safety. The mob also attacked the Bhagvan Ashram, an orphanage run by a Christian, Sanjeev Pradhan. Both the Jesuits and the attackers have filed reports with the local police. On July 9, Father Joseph Kalathil, vicar general of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar archdiocese, wrote a letter to federal and state governments in which he said: "I would like to plead with you that Christians are not sacrificial animals to be sacrificed for propitiating fundamentalists and their associates". Antony Raj concludes his report with these words: "The situation externally looks normal. The tension is still prevailing all around."