Twenty priests have been booked by the police in Kochi, Kerala, for allegedly assaulting a police officer during a protest at the Bishop’s House.
IMAGE: Presbyteral Council secretary of Ernakulam Angamaly Archdiocese, Fr Kuriakose Mundadan speaks to media persons, in Kochi, Kerala, January 11, 2025.Photograph: ANI Photo
The incident occurred on January 11, with the priests protesting against the unified Holy Mass.
The police registered a case against the priests under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for unlawful assembly, rioting, and causing hurt to a public servant.
The FIR was registered based on a complaint by Anoop C, sub inspector of Central Police, who sustained injuries while managing the protesters during the law-and-order operation.
Meanwhile, Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany, appointed as the Vicar of the Major Archbishop for the Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly in the wake of the protest, on Sunday urged the protesters to resolve the issue amicably through open dialogues.
Responding to the ongoing controversy over the unified Holy Mass, Pamplany told the media that altering a decision approved by Pope Francis is impossible.
A large posse of police personnel has been deployed outside the Bishop House on Sunday also.
"We are attempting to manage the situation peacefully," Ernakulam ACP C Jayakumar said.
Tension prevailed for several hours outside the Bishop House after the police on Saturday evacuated from there several priests who were on an indefinite fast demanding withdrawal of certain documents issued by an Apostolic administrator triggering loud protest by a section who are opposing the unified mass.
Later in the day, the believers tried to enter the Bishop House, but the police pushed them back out.
Some of the protesting priests were also injured in the police action.
Presbyteral Council secretary of Ernakulam Angamaly Archdiocese, Fr Kuriakose Mundadan said, "For the last two days, 21 of our priests from the Ernakulam Angamaly Archdiocese were holding a prayer strike in the Archbishop's house, because Apostolic administrator Mar Bosco Puthur and his collaborators appointed priests with a criminal background as curia members. For the last two months, they have closed the gates of our mother house."
"It is against our civil rights that administrator Mar Bosco Puthur closed the gates and got the protection of the police. That's why on 9 January, 21 priests, peacefully entered through the side gate and started a prayer strike for two days," he said.
He further said that on Saturday morning, Mar Bosco Puthur gave a suspension order for 4 of the priests and show cause notice to the remaining 17 priests. He said that after that there was a police action.
"Afterwards, under ACP Jayakumar, the police forcefully relocated the priests to St Mary's Basilica. Many priests have been hurt and one broke his hand, lot of injuries are there. Hearing this news, priests and devotees of the Archdiocese gathered here in front of the Archbishop's house and St Mary's Basilica. We are here to protect our priests. Some political leaders and even the collector called me saying that he would interfere. There is no valid cause to arrest them. If the police have arrested them they have to bring them back to the Archbishop's house and so priests, people have gathered here. The collector has said that he would intervene positively," he added. -- With ANI inputs
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