Christians breathe a sigh of relief in India.

India (MNN)–Nearly five years after the barbaric killing of an Australian missionary and his two minor sons in a village in Orissa, in eastern India, justice has finally been done.

On September 22nd, a court awarded the death sentence to Dara Singh, prime accused in the murders. Twelve of his accomplices were given life terms, one was acquitted on grounds of insufficient evidence.

According to Asia Times, while justice might have been done with the awarding of the death penalty to Dara Singh, there is unease that the sentence could fuel Hindu militancy in the country.

Dave DeGroot is with Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Mission India. He points to a recent attempt to provoke hostilities against believers.

Police say Andha Nayak, and Ranjan Sahu, the self-proclaimed state secretary of “Dara Sena”, were rounded up on charge of fomenting communal tension on September 27th at Padiabeda in Mayurbhanj district,.

Dandapat was acquitted by the trial court on September 15 as there was insufficient evidence against him.

DeGroot details what happened. “The police immediately arrested one of the Dara Singh associates who was trying to incite a riot in the same district in which the murders occurred. It appeared that the police were clamping down on this person, trying to avoid public outcry.” DeGroot urges prayer for Christians.

There are concerns that Hindu nationalist sympathies could turn the convicted man into a martyr, his cause, into nationalism. “There’s a potential of this thing being immediately politicized. That’s the fear. There are simmering, hot pockets of potential violence all over the country, it wouldn’t necessarily be in Orissa. But, this thing could touch off powder kegs across the country, in Gujarat or other places, and everyday that goes by without violence, we’re thankful.”