Indian bishops condemn assault on Catholic pilgrims and priests at Jabalpur

Bangalore, India, Apr 3, 2025 / 12:30 pm (CNA).

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) has condemned an attack on Catholic pilgrims visiting churches near the city of Jabalpur along with the beating of senior diocesan officials there. 

Allegedly injured in the assault was the vicar general and procurator of Jabalpur, who reportedly rushed to safeguard the pilgrims in the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India.

“Reports indicate that this is not an isolated incident but part of a disturbing pattern and strategy to create communal polarization and hostility towards religious minorities,” CBCI said in an April 1 press statement.

The bishops urged the federal ministers “to intervene to ensure … stringent action” against the culprits.

The CBCI described the assault on 52 pilgrims of Mandla parish as “deeply distressing.” The pilgrims traveled over 60 miles to Jabalpur, making a jubilee pilgrimage to churches in the city, when their bus was attacked on March 31 reportedly by Hindu fundamentalists.

The entire group, including parish priest Father John Quodros, was taken to the police station by the attackers, who were alleging that the Catholics were undertaking a criminal act of religious conversion.

One social media user uploaded a video of the assault showing Vicar General Father David George being hit on the head by a leader of the Hindu group.

The CBCI statement decried the assault on the pilgrims and the senior priests as “a shocking attack on religious freedom and human dignity.”

“The trouble started in front of our Holy Trinity Church when the pilgrims were boarding the bus” after Mass, Franciscan Missionaries of Mary Congregation Sister Taurina Vaz told CNA on April 2.

“When some people started questioning them, a policeman, sensing trouble, told the Catholics to rush away. Then I saw a young man taking a photo of the bus, and it seems it was forwarded to the mob that had gathered on the way for the assault,” Sister Taurina said.

The Hindu outfit Bajrang Dal reportedly stopped the bus near the parish church at Ranjhi, six miles away, and forced off all the pilgrims — mostly women and children — and heckled them, alleging that the group had been brought to be converted. 

George in his complaint to the Jabalpur police chief pointed out that the key of the bus was snatched from the driver and the pilgrims were taken to the police station.

“As we heard the news, we rushed from the bishop’s house to the police station and tried to explain that the whole group were Catholics on pilgrimage to churches. But they were shouting ‘conversion’ and anti-Christian slogans and assaulted us. The policemen tried to shield us,” George told CNA.

Though hundreds of Christians of Jabalpur staged a protest on April 1 against the attack, police have not arrested anyone in connection with the attacks.

“I am going with [Jabalpur Bishop Valan Arasu] to meet the police chief to demand action against the culprits. They cannot just let the culprits get away,” George said.

Asked about the pilgrims and the parish priest, George said “they are safely back in Mandla.”

Source: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/263145/indian-bishops-condemn-assault-on-catholic-pilgrims-and-priests-at-jabalpur