The assault occurred at night in a parish church in the diocese of Rourkela. They beat them with hockey sticks and iron bars, before stealing all the money raised for the school and the shelter. In another incident of violence in Telangana, Muslims taking cattle to the madrasa for the Eid festival were attacked.
Rourkela () – In the Indian state of Orissa, two Catholic priests were attacked on Saturday in their home by a group of masked thugs, who beat them and robbed them. The serious act of violence occurred in Jhorabahal, a parish in the diocese of Rourkela, in the district of Sundergarh.
A dozen masked people broke into the priests’ house at night. The parish priest, Father Alois Xalxo, 72, and Father Nirial Bilung, 52, were beaten with hockey sticks and iron bars. Hospitalized, health conditions are stable. “We were sleeping when the thugs entered the church after breaking the glass door,” said Father Xalxo. “There were between 10 and 12 people,” added Father Bilung. They tied us up and when we screamed they attacked us and injured us. They looted the money in the church, as well as the hostel and the school.” According to police reports, the stolen money amounted to more than one million rupees (more than 11 thousand euros).
In a note, the diocese of Rourkela thanked the Jhorabahal community and the local police for their support of the two priests who were victims of the attack. “We ask that you continue to pray for them,” writes the local Church, “so that they can soon heal and overcome the trauma. We invite everyone to pay attention and take all precautions so that these types of incidents are not repeated.”
Also at the same time, in India, other serious acts of violence of different types occurred in the city of Medak, in the state of Telangana, against the local Muslim community. Violence broke out when a group objected to the transportation of cattle to the Minhaj Ul Uloom madrasa in Medak, ahead of celebrations for the Islamic holiday of Eid al Adha, leading to clashes between Hindus and Muslims. They also vandalized the madrasa, causing several injuries. The crowd also caused damage to the hospital where injured members of the Muslim community were receiving treatment. Mob members also damaged a doctor’s car.
Due to these clashes, the Telangana police arrested ten people, including three leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party: Medak district president Gaddam Srinivas, Medak city president M Nayam Prasad and another local leader, Yuva Morcha.
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