Kochi: The action has been taken against the priests involved in the protest at the headquarters of the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese. Six of the 21 priests who staged the protest at the Basilica headquarters have been suspended, while show-cause notices have been issued to 15 others. The protest intensified when demonstrators allegedly damaged the gates of the church headquarters.

The situation further escalated when the police attempted to forcibly remove the dissenting priests who were holding a prayer protest at the Bishop's House early in the morning.Protesters accused the police of assaulting and manhandling elderly priests.

The protesters told Mathrubhumi.com that they had conveyed their stance to the District Collector, who had called them for discussions. On Saturday morning, six priests were suspended, and 15 others received show-cause notices. However, the Almaya Forum made it clear that they would not accept or comply with the actions taken by the Apostolic Administrator.

The priests alleged that they were woken up in the early hours and taken away without being allowed to change their clothes. Those who attempted to change were reportedly filmed on video. Protesters claimed that the police broke the gates of the Bishop's House and forcibly brought the priests to the vicinity of the gate. The police reportedly refused to explain why the priests were being taken away.

The protesters accused the police of acting with brutality despite their peaceful discussions. Harsh allegations were also leveled against the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP). The priests reiterated their demands to the District Collector, calling for a return to the previous status quo. They demanded either the reinstatement of those who were expelled or the arrest of those who protested. The Collector reportedly stated that the government would review the matter and take a decision after further discussions.

The prayer protest at the Bishop's House by the 21 priests marked the culmination of a hunger strike initiated by Father Joyce Kaithakottil in Angamaly. The tensions escalated after the priests were forcibly removed from the church headquarters.