By Saramma Emmanuel

Indore: When the Catholic Church beatified a martyred nun in a central Indian town on November 4, a thrilled person among the thousands of participants was her assassin.

“I feel so happy that ‘Didi’ (elder sister) has become a martyr now,” said Samandar Singh, who inflicted 54 stab wounds on Sister Rani Maria on a fateful day more than 22 years ago.

Singh now repents profusely his cruel act done at the behest of some landlords who were upset with the Franciscan Clarist nun’s work among landless peasants of Udainagar and surrounding villages in Madhya Pradesh state.

He stabbed her first inside a bus going to Indore and then dragged her out and continued to attack her until she died bleeding on roadside and scores watched in horror by other passengers.

Singh was arrested three days and was sentenced to life for the crime. His contractors and family members abandoned Singh and he was leading a dejected and angry life in jail when a Carmelite of Mary Immaculate priest Swami Sadanand met him to offer the Church’s forgiveness.

The priest, who died in 2016, also helped Rani Maria’s Vattalil family to forgive him and accept him as a member.

Singh drew media attention on beatification day as he watched the ceremonies with the Vattalil family members.

“All the events that led to her martyrdom was the manifestation of the God’s will,” he told Matters India at the beatification venue.

He said he continues to feel sorry for “committing such a gruesome crime” even after Rani Maria’s family’s forgiveness and acceptance.

Sister Selmy Paul, the younger sister of Blessed Rani Maria, said she was happy that Singh took the trouble to attend the ceremonies. Sister Paul, who also belongs to the Franciscan Clarist Congregation, a Kerala-based order, was the first from Vattalil family to forgive and accept Singh. She tied “rakhi,” a sacred thread symbolizing sibling affection, on the wrist of Singh and accepted him as a brother in 2002. Later she introduced him to other family members.

Singh now leads a quiet life as a farmer in Semila Reimal, his native village close to Udainagar.