THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vizhinjam police have registered two more cases against Thiruvananthapuram Latin Catholic archbishop Thomas J Netto in connection with Saturday's violence near the port entrance at Vizhinjam.
The archbishop was booked for trespassing into the port project area, which is a high-security zone and obstructing the entrance leading to the port.
The police have already registered three cases against the archbishop, which had created consternation among the community members. In the newly registered cases, the archbishop has been held as the first accused.
Meanwhile, the police have slapped serious charges against Fr Theodacious D'cruz, the convenor of the Vizhinjam Samara Samithi, for his controversial remark on Harbour Engineering minister V Abdurahiman.
D'cruz has been booked for attempting to create a rift between the Muslim and Christian communities and inciting the mob to create a riot. D'cruz had stirred a hornet's nest by saying that there was a terrorist in the name of Abdurahiman. D'cruz was reacting to the statement of the minister that those opposing the port construction were traitors.
The church and D'cruz himself had apologized for the remark and said it was a case of tongue slip.
Meanwhile, State Police Chief Anil Kant said instruction has been given to conduct probe on Vizhinjam police station attack in a time-bound manner. He said those who had unleashed violence against the cops would soon be identified.