A Roman Catholic priest was murdered in a remote section of eastern India. He was attacked because of his alleged "illegal" involvement in converting Hindus to Christianity.

The priest, identified as 35-year-old Arul Doss, was killed September 2 by an angry mob wielding bows and poisoned arrows as he gathered with Christian converts in the jungle village of Jamabani.

Dilip Mahapatra, Orissa director-general of police, told the Times of India newspaper he had evidence the priest had violated a 1967 Orissa law that prohibits forced conversions.

Christians and Hindus have clashed repeatedly in recent years across India over the issue of conversions (CT, March 1, 1999, p. 46). Christians make up only 2.5 percent of India's 980 million people, compared to Hindus, who compose 82 percent of the population. In the past year, a human-rights group has documented more than 120 attacks against Christians by Hindu fundamentalists.