Bangalore: FKCA and KSCS Pay Homage to Fr K J Thomas, demand CBI probe into murder

Media Release

Bangalore, 12 Apr 2013: The Federation of Konkani Catholic Associations (FKCA) and Karnataka Sarvabhasha Christhara Sangha (KSCS) have demanded a CBI probe into the brutal murder of Fr K J Thomas, Rector of St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary at Malleswaram, Bangalore, who was brutally murdered in seminary premises on April 1.

 

The Catholics and admirers of the 62-year-old Fr K J Thomas, who was killed in the small hours of April 1, the very next day of Easter Sunday, had assembled at Christ the King Church at Yeshwanthpur, which is adjacent to the seminary, to pay homage to the deceased priest by offering a mass which was organized by FKCA and KSCS.

 

 

Fr Patrick Pinto, who belongs to Christ the King Parish and was trained by Fr Thomas, and Fr Vinod offered the mass on April 11, the Ugadi festival evening.

 

A large number of faithful, who included Catholics from different parts of Bangalore Archdiocese and other admirers and friends of the deceased priest, paid tributes to Fr Thomas and recalled his warm and friendly nature, loving and helpful personality.

 

The faithful, who led a silent procession from the Church till the main road facing Christ the King Church till the Seminary gate after the mass, held a silent candle light vigil holding placards extolling the virtues of the slain priest and demanding speedy investigation and justice.

 

Addressing the media before dispersal of the silent protest,  T J Abraham, KSCS convenor and anti-corruption activist, Valerian Fernandes, chairman of KSCS and Aida D’Cunha, FKCA chairperson, condemned the brutal murder of a gentlemanly, lovable and kind-hearted priest like Fr K J Thomas and strongly criticized the police lethargy in not conducting speedy investigation and nabbing the culprits.

 

They also criticized the State Government for its mysterious silence and wondered why the chief minister Jagadish Shettar and Deputy chief minister cum home minister were not active in prodding the police department to expedite investigation.

 

’’Is it because the murdered person was a priest belonging to the minority Catholic community?,” asked Abraham wondering how the government  would have reacted if such an incident took place from other communities or religions.

 

’’It is surprising that the police have remained silent even 12 days after the murder,” he said.

 

They demanded that the State Government should hand over the case to CBI or a equivalent higher body to probe the attack and demanded speedy justice against the perpetrators.

 

Also they mentioned that the organizations will continue their protests even more strongly in the coming days until the culprits are brought to book and proper justice prevails and the culprits were put behind bars at the earliest.

 

’’We plan to hold peaceful protests in the city and similar candle-light vigils if the murderers were  not identified and brought to book,” Fernandes said.

 

The KSCS and FKCA thanked the organising committee comprising  Edwin D’Souza, Dolphy D’Cunha, Richard D’Souza and Arun Fernandes for all their efforts.