14 held in custody over missionary attack

Fourteen people were today taken into custody in connection with the attack on workers of Missionaries of Charity even as the RSS denied any role in the incident.

Raids were continuing in the Mambuzhakad colony area located in Olavanna panchayat to nab the culprits responsible for the attack in which nine members of the charity were injured.

Of the injured, six were admitted to a private hospital and the condition of Mother Superior, Kusumam, who was stated to be 'serious' earlier, was now normal, they said.

Though no arrests had been made so far in the case, based on the statements of the injured, police had filed charges for attempt to murder, outraging modesty of women and disrupting communal harmony.

Meanwhile, the district unit of the RSS had denied any role in the attack and alleged that "vested interests are trying to place the blame on us".

In a statement, the Sangh Parivar claimed that neither it nor any Hindu organisation had any role in the incident and urged the police to probe the suspected conversion activities in which the missionaries were allegedly engaged.

The members of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity were attacked by unidentified persons when they visited the Dalit colony in two groups yesterday for a rice distribution programme.