02-10-2008, 08:25 PM
<b>Christians fighting among themselves in an church.</b>
Bishop attacked in Nellai church
The New Indian Express
Date: February 6, 2008
Link
A long standing factional rivalry in the Tirunelveli diocese of Church of South India came to a head on Tuesday when Bishop Rev S Jayapaul David was attacked by a group at Cathedral Church in Palayamkottai.
The bishop had come to the church in the morning for a meeting of priests when a group stormed in, smashed chairs and microphones, and raised slogans against him. Some of the intruders then assaulted the bishop. The priests' attempts to rescue him failed and the bishop's driver Backyanathan, who tried to intervene, was also beaten up. The mob also smashed the windscreen of the bishop's car.
A police team led by Palayamkottai Inspector rescued the bishop and picked up Selvaraj (47) of Melaseval, Gunapaul Jayasingh (59) of Yemankulam, Kingsley (31) of Pattamadai and Paul Balasingam (65) of Mukkoodal for interrogation.
The attack is reportedly a fallout of the recent elections in the diocese, which was fiercely contested by two factions - one headed by the bishop and the other by the diocesean Secretary A D J C Dhinakar. The bishop plans to initiate action against the attackers as per the diocesean laws.
Bishop attacked in Nellai church
The New Indian Express
Date: February 6, 2008
Link
A long standing factional rivalry in the Tirunelveli diocese of Church of South India came to a head on Tuesday when Bishop Rev S Jayapaul David was attacked by a group at Cathedral Church in Palayamkottai.
The bishop had come to the church in the morning for a meeting of priests when a group stormed in, smashed chairs and microphones, and raised slogans against him. Some of the intruders then assaulted the bishop. The priests' attempts to rescue him failed and the bishop's driver Backyanathan, who tried to intervene, was also beaten up. The mob also smashed the windscreen of the bishop's car.
A police team led by Palayamkottai Inspector rescued the bishop and picked up Selvaraj (47) of Melaseval, Gunapaul Jayasingh (59) of Yemankulam, Kingsley (31) of Pattamadai and Paul Balasingam (65) of Mukkoodal for interrogation.
The attack is reportedly a fallout of the recent elections in the diocese, which was fiercely contested by two factions - one headed by the bishop and the other by the diocesean Secretary A D J C Dhinakar. The bishop plans to initiate action against the attackers as per the diocesean laws.