US missionary Joseph W Cooper, who was ordered to leave India for preaching religion in violation of visa rules, left for his country early on Thursday, sources said. 

Cooper left for the US by an early morning flight of Delta Airlines.

The US missionary, who was injured in an attack by suspected RSS workers at Kilimannur in Kerala on January 13, had arrived in Mumbai from Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.

The 67-year-old from New Castle, USA, who is on a tourist visa, suffered a deep cut on his right palm when he and a local team of evangelists were attacked while returning from a gospel convention at a tribal colony in Koppam near Kilimannur town.

The police had on Monday served orders on Cooper to leave the country within seven days after he was prima facie found to have violated visa rules.

Share your comments

What do you think about the story? Read what others have to say: Number of User Comments: 12 Sub: US missionary Cooper leaves India Its about time we implemented the laws that are in the books! When someone violates his visa status, regardless of how or what he did, ... Posted by Ratna Sub: God's love Throughout history we have seen that Christianity has only grown with persecution. This is because the love of Christ becomes more real when Christians lay ... Posted by Manoj Sub: Cogratulations to Gov Of India It is very good that Cooper is leaving India. It is to be congratulated that action by the police in this regards despite the hue ... Posted by Sanjay Kumar Sub: What about justice Kudos to the authorities for serving the departure orders to the missionary. Was just wondering if the same authorities have taken any kind of action ... Posted by I Master Sub: Tolerance, the casualty... It is easy to claim greatness, difficult in practice. A group that has no tolerance to even listen another religion cannot be great. What stops ... Posted by Vijay