Dara Singh, one of India's most notorious perpetrators of anti-Christian violence, has petitioned the Supreme Court for release from prison, citing over 25 years of incarceration.

Singh, whose real name is Rabindra Kumar Pal, has been serving a life sentence since his arrest in 2000 for burning alive Australian missionary Graham Staines and his six-year-old son, along with his 10-year-old son, in the eastern state of Odisha. The attack drew global condemnation and sent shockwaves through India's minority Christian community.

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Staines had spent years working

Staines had spent 30 years working with leprosy patients in Baripada, Mayurbhanj district, where he lived. On January 22, 1999, a mob of 60 to 70 people surrounded their vehicle, set fire to it, and prevented them from escaping.

Police had registered 10 cases accusing Singh of involvement in hijacking trucks of Muslim traders transporting cows, an animal considered sacred In his 2000 interview with India Today magazine, Singh denied being personally involved but admitted to being "actively involved in the movement against illegal trade in cows and cow slaughter."

Church leaders had alleged that the attacks were carried out at the behest of hardline Hindu organisation Bajrang Dal, which Singh denied was his affiliation. In a recent interview, Singh expressed remorse for his actions and blamed the crime on "the fervour of youth."

Gladys Staines, Graham's widow, had previously forgiven Dara Singh in the Christian spirit, saying that forgiveness opens up the path to healing.

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Reports that Singh may walk free if the state government or court accepts his remission petition have led to unease among India's 30-million Christian community, with some expressing anxiety over his earlier statements and concerns about the state's history of anti-Christian violence.

Human rights activist John Dayal has noted that remission after decades in jail is not unusual in India, but the anxiety among religious minorities remains due to the state's history of anti-Christian violence.