Forest office fire: Priest in dock

Kozhikode: A Catholic priest and a member of the village panchayat were  among those who attacked and burnt the Thamarassery forest range office during the protest against the Kasturirangan report on November 15, according to the report submitted by the Thamarassery forest range officer C.S. Saju to the forest department.

Fr. Saji Mangarima, vicar of Chembukadavu Catholic Church, and Jaison Kizhakkunnel, Kodanchery village panchayat member,  were leading the protesters, says the report.

The forest department had also filed seven complaints in three police stations in connection with the destruction of forest offices and vehicles during the protest.   

Three tipper lorries, one Tata Sumo vehicle and a pickup jeep  were used by the attackers, says the report which has mentioned the registration numbers of all the vehicles.

The attack at the Thusharagiri eco-tourism project site was carried out by a gang led by Roy Eliyas Francis who came in a pickup jeep.

However, Kozhikode divisional forest officer R. Adalarasan told DC that the forest department was yet to submit any report to any agency. “I received a report from the Thamarassery range officer, which has names of many persons, including the parish priest,” he added.

“The police are investigating the roles of the persons in the attack,”  he added.

Priest had no role in attack, says Church

Kozhikode: The Thamarassery diocese has  denied any role of the priest in the attack against the forest range office at Thamarasserry during the protest against the Kasturirangan report.

In a statement,  diocese spokesperson Fr. Abraham Kavilpurayidathil said that the diocese has protested against the report submitted by the forest range officer naming parish priest Fr. Saji Mangarima  as one of the accused.

“Fr. Saji is not  connected with the attack in any manner,” the diocese said and  added  that he did not lead the attack or participated in it.

The move was aimed at weakening the agitation by the Western Ghats People’s Protection Council against the Kasturirangan report, the diocese alleged.

Such steps will not destroy the spirit of the agitation for justice led by the diocese, the release said.