Thousands attend funeral of murdered priest

Over 1,000 people attended the funeral of Fr. Thomas Pandipally who was murdered in Andhra Pradesh, last week.

The Catholic priest, a member of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI), was found murdered on August 16, near Yellaredy, Andhra Pradesh. The battered body contained over 30 stabbings and severe head injuries.

Students, faculty and nuns of the Church–run high school where Fr. Thomas served as a vice–principal joined in a rally wearing black badges to express sorrow over the killing.

The rally from the CMI provincial house to the downtown saw several speakers condemning the barbarous incident and urging enhanced security to the Christian community.

The horrifying manslaughter has also outraged the church leaders in the country who demanded a high–level inquiry over the killing.

The Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) issued a statement on Aug. 18 expressing "shock and anguish" imploring authorities to arrest the Priest's killers.

It further urged the federal and state governments to protect missioners who work for the "the marginalized and poor in the country."

According to Fr. Anthoniraj Thumma, secretary of the Andhra Pradesh Federation of Churches, the murder is the sign of rising religious intolerance in the country. The false allegations of forceful conversions by Christian missionaries have increased the violent acts, he adds.

"There has been a history of antisocial and communal disturbances in the locality. False cases were filed and protests staged against the priests and nuns with the intention to drive them out from the place," said Fr. Thumma.

"Very presence of Christians and missionaries is being resisted alleging that they convert to Christianity and destroy Hinduism. Their institutions are being considered as threat to the other schools and hospitals run by the private agencies for profit."

Fr. Sebastian, the previous principal of the same school in which Fr. Thomas served, was also implicated in a false case.

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.