#BreakingNews 2 Catholic Priests Brutally Attacked and Robbed of Money Donations for School and Hostel in India

 In India's state of Orissa two Catholic priests were attacked on June 15, in their home by a group of masked thieves, who beat them up and robbed them. The serious act of violence occurred in Jhorabahal, a parish in the Rourkela diocese in the Sundergarh district. (Image Screenshot Youtube)

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) condemned the attack in a statement issued on June 17, and called for “appropriate inquiry and action against the perpetrators” and appealed the federal government “to look into such incidents and direct all the State Governments to ensure the security of the Christian minority community.

”The assault took place at night in a parish church in the Rourkela diocese at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. They were beaten with hockey sticks and iron bars, before being robbed of all the money collected for the school and hostel. 

A dozen masked persons broke into the priests' rectory at night. The parish priest Fr Alois Xalxo, age 72, and Fr Nirial Bilung, age 52, were beaten up with hockey sticks and iron rods. Hospitalized, their condition is now stable. "We were sleeping when the thugs entered the church after breaking the glass door," Fr Xalxo recounted. "They were 10-12 people," added Fr Bilung. They tied us up and when we shouted they attacked and injured us. They looted the money kept in the church, as well as money from the hostel and the school". According to police reports, the money stolen amounted to more than one million Rupees (over $11,000).

In a note, the Rourkela diocese thanked the Jhorabahal community and the local police for their support for the two priests who were victims of the attack. "We ask for continued prayers for them," the local Church writes, "that they may soon heal and overcome the trauma. We invite everyone to pay attention and take all precautions to ensure that this type of incident does not happen again'.

The diocese explained:
“The miscreants broke upon the grills and the door of the presbytery and entered the residence of Jhorabahal parish at 2.30am on Saturday. The priests did not get any chance to escape or inform anybody. First, the miscreants snatched the mobile phones of the priests and took them away.”
The release added: “The miscreants attacked the priests brutally with iron rods, crowbars, hockey sticks and other lethal weapons and dragged them to the rooms, handcuffing them and tying up their mouths with clothes and demanding whatever money they had. Though the priests showed them all the money, they continued to beat and thrash them, threatening to kill them, putting the knives at the throats of the priests.”

They ransacked the house for nearly an hour. “I fell unconscious, bleeding profusely. The miscreants were all wearing facemasks, hand gloves and heavy shoes and spoke in Bihari sadri,” said Father Bilung.
“Father Alois managed to untie his hands and helped Father Nerial. They could not come out of the room at night since they were afraid and remained in the room till morning. About 4.30am, they informed other people on campus,” said the release issued by the Catholic Diocese of Rourkela.

Sources: AsiaNews/UcaNews/Telegraph