Gunmen critically wound another catholic priest in Manipur

IMPHAL, February 2: Exactly two months after the assassination of Father Sajan Jacob Chittinapilli, assistant principal of St Joseph's Parish School, Sugunu, another Catholic priest, Father Tomy Manjaly, Principal of the Catholic School, Canchipur, was shot and critically wounded by unidentified gunmen this morning at the school premises. According to sources, two persons called out Father Manjaly, 35 after morning prayers at around 9.15 on the pretext of speaking to him regarding admission of a ward to the school. He was reportedly shot in the back by one of the youths while the other was engaging him in conversation on the school veranda. The bullet penetrated his back and exited through the abdomen. Eyewitnesses said that after Father Manjaly fell to the ground, the gunmen tried to shoot him again, but the gun jammed. The assailants hurriedly left the school thereafter. The critically injured Father Manjaly was rushed to the Catholic Medical Centre at Koirengei, where an emergency operation was conducted on him. Doctors described his condition as 'very critical'. Security has been deployed around the medical centre by the state police. Sources at the school said around four youths riding in a Maruti car asked one of the school's chowkidars when Father Manjaly would be available. They went away after being told that he would be available only during office hours. Father Manjaly has been serving as Principal of the Catholic School, Canchipur from April 1998. Earlier he served as vice-principal of the school from 1996 to 1998. A spokesman of the Archbishop's House, Imphal said the motive behind the assassination attempt has not been ascertained. He added that there has been no new demand from any underground groups, though he pointed out that previous demands have not been met in accordance with a decision taken by the Church. The spokesman also disclosed that the Catholic Church leadership had not decided as yet what steps to take in connection with the assassination attempt on Fr Tomy Manjaly. It may be recalled that all the Catholic schools in the state had closed down for about a week during the first week of December following the kidnap and assassination of Fr Shajan Jacob at Sugunu.