Port stir: 15 Latin Catholic priests booked for rioting

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 27

Mutiple cases have been registered against at least 15 Latin Catholic priests in connection with the violent anti-seaport protests that took place at Vizhinjam here. In the FIR lodged over Saturday’s violence, the police said the accused had been charged with criminal conspiracy, unlawfully assembly and rioting.

The police have arraigned metropolitan Archbishop Thomas J Netto, Fr Christudas, Fr Eugine Perera and Lawrence Gulas, among others, in the case.

Cases have also been registered against over 110 persons over the clashes that broke out in Vizhinjam between two groups on Saturday. Going against the assurances given to the Kerala High Court, the protesters, agitating in front of the under-construction Vizhinjam seaport, blocked trucks carrying construction materials to the site, leading to a scuffle.

Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan said the FIR against the Archbishop was unacceptable. “Cases have been registered against 50 priests. Now it seems like the Vijayan-headed government will do anything for the Adani Group,” he said in a statement.