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Pilar Fathers beaten and looted in Jharkhand
- Fr. Peter Raposo
Ranchi, Jharkhand: Pilar Fathers working in one of the rural Parish of the
Archdiocese of Ranchi, Jharkhand were badly beaten and looted by a gang of
armed dacoits after they broke in the presbytery in midnight of January 6,
2009.
A gang of ten dacoits armed with guns and iron rods, looted away a sum of
Rupees one and half lakh after they badly beat the two Pilar Priests working
in the Catholic Church of Nawatanr, about 60 kilometers from Ranchi.
"It was past midnight when I heard the dacoits trying to break open the
gates", Fr. Deonis Dang, Parish Priest told. They first tried to open the
hind gates of the residence but as it wouldn't open they tried and managed
to open the front gate, he said. I had immediately alerted Fr. Andreas
Dungdung and told him to call the neighboring Sisters at the Convent.
"We were all nervous, but I asked Fr. Deonis to hide in the bathroom as they
would try to target him being the Parish Priest" 29 year old Fr. Andreas
narrated. However, no sooner they entered the house they caught hold of me
and started beating me with iron rods, Fr. Andreas told
There were around ten of them some masked, out of which six entered the
presbytery and four were seen guarding outside. They ransacked our rooms and
looted all the money and belongings. But even after that they continued
hitting me, he continued. Every time I tried to defend myself and told them
to stop beating and take away whatever was there, Fr. Andreas, a newly
ordained priest narrated.
Then they asked for the keys of the Safe Box belonging to the Catholic
Mission Cooperative Credit Society, and continued beating me. Since it was
unbearable, I called out to Fr. Deonis since he had the keys. I was now
confident that Sisters might have alerted the villagers and expected them to
come anytime soon.
The robbers then beat Fr. Deonis who while ducking was pierced with one of
the rod near his groins. "I was totally caught unaware and found myself
blank". After they beat me I told them that I cant remember and asked them
to find the keys themselves" Fr. Deonis told.
As robbers were trying to break open the Safe of the Credit Bank, the people
turned up. However, the robbers fled before the crowd reached the scene. In
all a sum of Rupees one and half lakhs some belonging to the Church and to
the priests was taken away. "They also took away our mobiles, other
valuables and even our clothes", Fr. Deonis told.
Recently, A gang of 15 masked and armed men similarly looted about 240,000
rupees from the neighbouring Dighia parish on Dec. 19, after attacking its
priest and a seminarian. And on Dec. 17, armed men robbed Patrachauli Parish
also in the same neighbourhood beating and looting the priests.
Cardinal Telesphore Toppo, Archbishop of Ranchi who had to leave for Mexico
the following morning, expressed his deep concern behind the motive of the
robberies. "We donot know whey they are attacking and disturbing our
peaceful Preists and Churches", he said. Taking dig at the administration,
Cardinal Toppo said that these robberies gave the impression that law and
order in the state is in shambles. "We are worried because these incidents
are disturbing our activities in remote parishes and villages," he said.
"But we cannot stop our mission."
Fr. Ignace Topno, the Vicar General of the Archdiocese who visited the Pilar
Fathers in Nawatnar also expressed his regret over the continous robberies
in the Archdiocese. He called on the people to maintain peace at the same
time to remain vigilant.
Almost a thousand villagers gathered at dawn and held a meeting. Deonis
along with the villagers, has filed a case at the local Police Station. The
people have also decided to guard the parish during the nights.
It is almost 35 years since the Society of Pilar are working in Jharkhand.
At present they have three Parishes, two in the Archdiocese of Ranchi and
one in the neighboring Diocese of Gumla. The Missionary Society while
serving the Dioceses in Jharkhand also trains its priests in Pastoral
Administration for the Diocese of Port Blair where it serves in its parishes
and for its missions in the North East Dioceses. END.
Archdiocese of Ranchi
Archbishop's House
P. B. No. 5, Purulia Road
Ranchi, Jharkhand 834 001
E-mail: peterrap...@gmail.com, peterrap...@rediffmail.com
Phone: 0091 651 2350539/ 728; Cell: 09234607041/ 09430342307
