KOCHI: Following hours of stiff resistance and tension, the Ernakulam district administration on Monday took control over the centuriesold Mulanthuruthy Marthoman Church and Onakkoor Sehiyon Church at Piravom, after the police arrested and removed bishops and senior priests. Hundreds of faithful including women, children and bishops had been holding a prayer protest inside the Mulanthuruthy church premises from Friday against the High Court directive to take custody of the church.
Around 5am on Monday, the police broke open the gates, entered the church premises and forced the faithful to leave. A few priests and faithful who had assembled inside were believed to have been injured in the ruckus. “We are not terrorists or people who have committed some crime. We were peacefully protesting following all Covid guidelines.
The police used force and also lathis. Some of the faithful were injured. The High Court was slated to hear our petition against the takeover on Monday and the police officials did not wait till that. We were ready to cooperate, the only thing we asked for was to wait till 10am till the court considers the petition,” said Metropolitan Kuriakose Mar Theophilos, spokesperson of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Christian Church, who was arrested by the police and later released.