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Assam : Vicar death stuns Assam Christians |
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Communal harmony in Assam received a big set back last week when on September 3 Christian community came out in the streets to protest the brutal murder of Father Mathew Nellickal in Tezpur. Christian leaders moved Dispur, seeking immediate arrest of those involved in the murder.
Describing the death of Father Nellickal who was reportedly killed in such a gruesome manner as unheard of in the state, former Guwahati Catholic Association president and a current member of the Catholic Council of India, Allen Brooks, called on State Home Commissioner B.K. Gohain and forwarded the twin requests on behalf of the Archbishop of Guwahati, Thomas Menamparampil.
“It is very shocking. We hope the state government takes steps to allay the fears and apprehensions of the community. Christian leaders will meet in a couple of days to take stock of the situation and chart our course of action”, Brooks added. Fr Nellickal had assumed office as Vicar General in July and was in charge of the diocese as the bishop was out of the country.
Vicar-general of Guwahati Archdiocese, Fr Kizhakevely Verghese, said, “Fr Nellickal was loved by all and there was no reason to think that he had enemies. It is a great loss for us”, he added.
The body of the 65-year vicar general was found inside Bishop House in a storeroom near Chitralekha Udyan.
Sonitpur district additional superintendent of police (headquarters), R. Bhuyan, said preliminary investigations suggested that the priest, who hailed from Kerala, was killed by persons known to him.
The assailants may have escaped via the Brahmaputra, which flows along the northern side of Bishop House, he said. No one has been picked up so far. Tension gripped Tezpur town as the news of the murder of the man who had no enemy spread. The town was already on edge following sporadic incidents of violence since the 12-hour bandh called by the Lok Jagran Manch on Thursday to protest the killing of an RSS leader of Nalbari by suspected ULFA cadre.
The government has directed the deputy inspector-general of police, northern Assam range, to conduct an inquiry and book the culprits.
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