Five Indian Christians wrongly accused of killing a 84 year old Hindu monk have been found innocent after spending eleven years in prison.
Bhaskar Sunamajhi, Buddhadev Nayak, Durjo Sunamajhi, Sanatan Badamajhi and Munda Badamajhi were granted bail by India's Supreme Court last week.
The men were sentenced to life imprisonment for the assassination of Hindu leader Laxmananda Saraswati and four of his associates in 2013, despite a local communist group allegedly taking responsibility for the crime.
The murder sparked a series of violent attacks against the Christian community which killed some 160 people and resulted in the destruction of nearly 300 churches.
The men from the Odisha region, who have always maintained their innocence, were granted bail last week following six years of pending appeals for their convictions.
A ruling by the Court found no evidence of their involvement in Saraswati's murder.
The men are due to be released this week.
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