On January 22, 1999 he was burnt alive along with his sons Philip and Timothy by right-wing activists, including Dara Singh who was a member of the Bajrang Dal. They were sleeping in their car, an old Willy’s four-wheel drive.

Graham was 58 years old at the time, Philip was 10 and Timothy was nine years old. Graham was a christian missionary and had spent his time in India working with leprosy patients in Baripada. He learnt Oriya and was fluent in the local dialect, Santhali. Graham Staines was also a preacher.

The men who killed him did so because they thought he was converting Adivasis to Christianity. The charge, if that’s what it is, was denied by Graham’s widow Gladys repeatedly.

The mob that committed the gruesome murders was led by Dara Singh, a member of the Bajrang Dal. Dara Singh was convicted of the crime and sentenced to death. His sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment.