Church seeks PM's help in Fr Pandippally murder case

New Delhi, Aug 22 (UNI) The Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI), a Catholic religious congregation, has sought the intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure proper and quick investigation into the murder of Fr Thomas Pandippally, which took place near Yellareddy.

In a letter to Dr Singh, CMI Prior General Fr Jose Panthaplamthottiyil complained that 35-year-old Fr Pandippally was attacked and killed by some unidentified people while returning home by motorcycle after celebrating mass in a village near Yellareddy on the night of August 16.

The body found lying on the roadside within the Lingampet police station limits on August 17 had 18 stab wounds and the entire body was bruised.

He said the reason behind the murder was not known, but the crime might have been committed by some miscreants or dacoits.

Fr Panthaplamthottiyil has written a similar letter to Defence Minister A K Antony, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi and Justice Rajendra Babu, Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission.

Mr Ravi, yesterday, talked to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y Rajasekhara Reddy and requested him to expedite the investigation into the case and bring the culprits to book.

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