Brawl after disputed election: CEN 2.15.08 p 8. February 16, 2008
Posted by geoconger in Church of England Newspaper, Church of South India, Crime.trackback
A disputed synod election has led to a brawl at the Church of South India’s Holy Trinity Cathedral in Palayankottai, with four men being held in custody by police for assaulting the Bishop of Tirunelveli, the Rt. Rev. S. Jayapaul David.
While leading a meeting for a clergy group at the Cathedral on the morning of Ash Wednesday, a mob stormed the church seizing Bishop David. The mob began to smash tables and chairs in the parish hall and shouted slogans denouncing the bishop’s management of the diocese.
When the clergy attempted to free the bishop, blows were exchanged and one of the attackers allegedly pulled out a revolver. The bishop was pulled from the mob’s clutches, which then retreated outside, smashing the windscreen of the bishop’s car and beat his driver. Bishop David was left with a torn cassock, but was otherwise unharmed.
The police are holding four men for questioning in connection with the assault and are seeking to question others involved in the Cathedral invasion, which is understood to have been prompted by factional disputes within the diocesan synod between the bishop’s supporters and opponents amongst the laity.
as an eye witness of the tirunelveli church elections at council level I strongly condemn the way the elections were conducted by bishop people. It was shocking to see the “bishop nominated presbyters” acting in the most unethical means.
Unless all believers of tirunelveli diocese pray for these current problems in their daily family prayer we cannot save our diocese from these politians( lay people of both sides, pastors of both sides)