Fr. Joseph Amudakani, a priest belonging to the Catholic Diocese of Jhabua was arrested based on the false allegation of conversion on 18th January at Thandla, Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh, a state in Central India.
Fr. Amuthakani is the parish priest of Unnai Parish. On wednesday around 10.30 am, he went to Bhavudi village for mass, along with a sister and a catechist as usual. As they were preparing to return after the mass, some Hindu Fundamentalists gathered around them and snatched the Missal and Rosary away. Then they began to shout slogans against them.
Around 1.30 pm, Police from Thandla town came and took Fr. Amuthakani into custody. As the news of Fr. Amuthakani’s arrest spread, thousands of Christians including brothers, sisters and other good-hearted people gathered at the police station, said Fr. Rocky, the PRO of the Diocese.
Meanwhile three MLAs (Members of Legislative Assembly) and other influential people gathered at the office of the Superintend of Police at Jhabua, the heard quarters of the district, and made an appeal to release Fr. Amuthakani immediately.
As thousands of Christian faithfuls of all the denominations flocked towards Jhabua, the district headquarters as well as Thandla Town, where the priest was kept in custody, Father Amuthakani was released around 7 pm without filing an FIR.
The people were filled with joy. All the faithful marched unitedly towards the Thandla Church singing and praising.
The video circulated in the social media itself is a proof that the allegations are of false, said Sr. Lidwin UFS, the Executive Secretary for CCBI (Conference of Catholic Bishops of India) Commission for woman. The priest is seen holding Missal (mass book) and rosary.
The message went very viral on social media. Many expressed the gratitude to God and appealed to all the Christians to be united.
Today, truly our country witnessed the real spirit of Unity Octave as we began the week of prayer for Christian unity, Sr. Lidwin UFS pointed out.
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