A 72 year old nun is said to be in a critical condition after she was attacked and gang raped at a Christian Missionary school in eastern India.
At around 1 am Saturday morning almost a dozen attackers broke into the school and tried to rob from the Convent of Jesus and Mary School, in Ranaghat, West Bengal.
In an attempt to stop the bandits the senior sister of the convent was tied up and raped. Several other nuns were also tied up during the attack.
The nun was not taken to hospital until the following morning and is said to have been critically injured and has had surgery after the attack.
Father Dominic Gomes, Vicar General of Kolkata (Calcutta) Archdiocese, told Indian news channel NDTV: “After tying three of the five sisters, they entered the principal’s room and ransacked it, destroying property and taking money, a laptop and a mobile phone.”
In a protest after the attack, angry school students blocked a rail route and a major highway.
West Bengal’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said an inquiry had been launched by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Ms Banerjee said: “We strongly condemn the incident that took place at the Ranaghat Convent. CID will be examining all aspects to this horrific crime. Swift, strongest action to be taken.”
State minister for urban affairs Firhad Hakim described the attack as “heinous” and called for the death penalty to be used on anyone found responsible.