Delhi, February 6, 2009: A group of unidentified people detained Catholic priests, nuns and believers including women and children and assaulted them on January 24, 2009 at Majuli Island, Jorhat district of Assam. The Diocese of Dibrugarh, in a press release said, that the attack took place as these Christians were returning after ordaining the first priest from the Mishing community.

Around 500 Catholics from various places of Jorhat, Golaghat, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar and Tinsukia districts had been to Jengraimukh’s Saint Paul’s school to witness the ordination of Hemanta Pegu. They were traveling back by jeeps, trucks and buses. At around 2.45 p.m. when they reached the Kamalabari Charali, a mob including women stopped their vehicles and demanded to know the reason behind their visit to the island.

When they were told that they had come to see the consecration of Hemanto Pegu, they shouted, “Why are you converting the tribals? You beef-eaters, never come back again and if you do come, we will cut you into pieces and throw you into the Brahamaputra.” With such threats and abusive languages they allowed the jeeps to go. Some of the priests who were in the group are: Fr. Jose Varghese, the former Principal of St. Paul’s School, Jengraimukh, Fr. K. A. Thomas, presently, the Director of I-Card Jorhat and many other priests and nuns and Church dignitaries.

After a while Fr. Caesar Henry, the principal of St. Antony’s High School, Mariani and Fr. G. P. Amalraj, the principal of St. Xavier’s High school, Duliajan came in a hired Sumo jeep followed by two buses and a truck. As soon as they reached the Komalabari petrol pump, the priests were pulled out from the jeep and manhandled. They kicked and punched their stomachs. They shouted slogans such as, “they are the missionaries, beat them and kill them.” They used abusive languages and mocked them and told to walk all the way to the Ferry Ghat. The Christian nuns and girls pleaded in vain with the mob to refrain from kicking and beating the priests.

The unruly mob then rushed to a bus to stop it. They ordered the passengers to alight from the bus and to hold their ears and swear, “We will not come to Majuli again.” The men were beaten, kicked and abused. “You Chai bhagan people, you are worth just two rupees; why did you come here; you, the beef-eaters, did you come to eat beef here?”

Fr. Victor Toppo, the principal of St. Paul’s School, Jengraimukh, was kicked and beaten badly. Some students of Holy Cross School, Naojan sustained injuries in stone pelting incident.

Fr. William Horo, Director of Media communication, Diocese of Dibrugarh, said that this was the first time a group of Catholics ever visited this world famous island. These Catholics had not done anything to provoke the local people or to hurt their religious sentiments.

This page is updated on February 21, 2009