The Roman Catholic Church premises at Kudu in Lohardaga district was a quiet haven for its 150-odd students, teachers, staff and priests. A church in Kuru last night was attacked, leaving two of its priests severely injured whey they resisted the attack.
Six attackers scaled the church wall around 8 pm yesterday and took on the priests whey they tried to raise alarm. The priest — father John Sundar — suffered deep cuts in the stomach, neck and head as he grappled with the robbers. He was rushed to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences at Ranchi. Another priest, father Albanus Tirkey, suffered minor injuries.
This, when the church complex is hardly a kilometre from the Kuddu Police Station. The culprits, the priests said, wore masks and were armed with lethal weapons. ‘‘Three of them caught hold of me and beat me up. As I cried for help, Father Sundar was held up by three others. They stabbed him in his head and neck. As he fell on the ground, all six escaped,’’ Tirkey said in the FIR. The attackers are yet to be identified. Police are not certain of the motive either.
Unidentified attackers struck at the same church on June 9 when Father Sundar was on leave. There was no damage to property in either incident.
The Jesuits have expressed concern. ‘‘We demand adequate security for ourselves,’’ president of the All Chuches’ Committee Father C.R. Prabhu said. Angry locals put up roadblocks on Kuru-Gumla Road, disrupting traffic for several hours today. The protest was called off after the administration assured action would be taken against the culprits.