Three held over priest shooting in India

(July 03, 2010) Police have arrested three men, including a parish house watchman, in connection with the shooting of a Catholic priest in the eastern Indian state of Bihar. Three masked men shot and wounded Mokama parish priest Father Michael Ignatius at his residence on the night of June 28. He later underwent surgery for four gunshot wounds at the Kurji Holy Family Hospital in the state capital Patna and is recovering. The motive for the attack is still unclear, but police seem to have ruled out robbery. Patna archdiocesan Vicar-General Father Devasia Mattathilani said the parish house watchman had identified one of the attackers, a local Catholic. Police have arrested three men including the watchman. Other suspects include the younger brother and father of the identified attacker who is still at large, Father Mattathilani said. “It looks like strained personal relations” with a family was the reason for the shooting, he said, ruling out a sectarian motive. However, Father Ignatius says he doesn’t know why he was attacked. “It’s a mystery, I have no enmity with any Catholics,” he said. Meanwhile, Father Mattathilani said Father Ignatius would not be returning to the parish and that a temporary priest had already been appointed. The assistant priest has also been transferred, he said. Mokama is a town some 100 kilometres from Patna is known for its high crime rate. Five years ago, Father Matthew Uzhuthal, vicar-general of Patna archdiocese, was stabbed to death by a youth who allegedly demanded money.