Christian priest brutally tortured and murdered in Andhra Pradesh

A 38 year old Catholic priest was found brutally tortured and murdered in Andhra Pradesh on August 17.

The victim Fr. Thomas Pandippallyil, member of Carmelite of Mary Immaculate, was found murdered with multiple head injuries and more than 30 stabbings.

According to a Catholic source, the priest was assassinated on the night of August 16th 2008 on the way back to his residence after attending a service at the Yellareddy parish in Nizamabad district.

Terribly shaken by the incident, Christian leaders in Andhra Pradesh expressed dismal over the murder, which they suspect is the handiwork of Hindu extremists opposing Christian missionary activities and the educational developments in the state.

According to Rev. Father Alex Thannippara, a provincial superior of the CMI order, the state witnessed brutal and mysterious murders of Christian workers in the past eight years.

He pointed that on January 16 a mob of 500 people led by Hindu extremists prevented the Hyderabad archbishop from blessing the new building of an HIV/AIDS care center, and two years ago the school where the slain priest worked was also targeted.

"Father Thomas is a martyr: He sacrificed his life for the poor and marginalized," said Archbishop Marampudi Joji of Hyderabad. "But he did not die in vain, because his body and his blood enrich the Church in India, particularly the Church in Andhra Pradesh –– the southeastern state where he died."

"The Church in India is shocked and deeply saddened by this barbarous killing, the result of a growing climate of intolerance and violence against Christians in this country," the 65–year–old archbishop added.

Fr Thomas who hails from Kerala was actively involved in education and social services. He joined the Chanda mission of the CMI on 24th June 1987 and was ordained a priest in 2002.

The Andhra Pradesh Federation of Churches (AFPC) has strongly condemned the gruesome massacre of Fr Thomas and demanded that violent communal groups be banned. The APFC would take up the case with the Chief Minister of AP and the State Minorities Commission.

In the last 8 months there were 27 major attacks against Christians in the state.