Mumbai (AsiaNews) – "We shall not stop before the culprits are found and their motives revealed," Mgr Jacob Thoomkuzhy, Archbishop of Trichur (capital of the state of Kerala in south-western India), told AsiaNews. Bishop Thoomkuzhy is still upset over the murder of a Catholic priest and the indifference shown by the authorities in the case.

On August 28, Fr Job Chittilappilly was killed at his parish church of Our Lady of the Graces in the village of Thuruthiparambu. He was assaulted as he was praying the rosary.

"Kerala's former Christian Chief Minister A. K. Antony and his successor assured us of a speedy start to the murder investigation," Bishop Thoomkuzhy said, "but they have not kept their promise".

The police did arrest a drug addict by the name of Raghukumar. But local Church leaders believe the police is just trying to make Father Job's murder a simple case of random violence. Bishop Thoomkuzhy believes the crime was "premeditated".

Fr Job Chittilappilly was closely involved in pastoral work among the poor of different castes and religions. His work and presence were inconvenient. For this reason, he had been warned against visiting Hindu families

Bishop Thoomkuzhy said he was disappointed by the police investigation. "Father Chittilappilly's assassin must have known him," the bishop said. "I am certain that he was paid by someone who had an interest in his death. It is strange," he added, "that an addict should kill just to get money to buy drugs." Instead, the bishop believes the murder was tied to the renovation of a Hindu temple in Thuruthiparambu, the same village in which the priest was killed. According to him, "the temple had been left in a dilapidated state for two decades. [But] two years ago, a group of Hindu activists led by a Hindu priest came forward to renovate it. The priest had told local Hindus that a Christian priest should be murdered for the temple to achieve fame. The man arrested for the murder was a member of that Hindu group."

The Archdiocese of Trichur organised for tomorrow a protest rally against Father Chittilappilly's murder and the authorities' indifference. Diocesan leaders in Irinjalakuda closed down their schools for the same reason and set up a 250-member action committee to press the Central Bureau of Investigation for an inquest.

Kerala is known as "God's country" for its large Christian population. Trichur is the oldest diocese in the Syro-Malabar Church. (NC)