Days after a dacoity was reported in Manapparai, armed burglars attacked a Parish Priest in the town in the early hours of Thursday with the intention of committing robbery. They made good their escape as they could not find anything from his place of stay.
The daring offence occurred adjacent to the Manapparai police station where the house of the Parish Priest is located. The priest, T. Sahayaraj (43), had been staying in one of the rooms in the ground floor of the house located behind the Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Manapparai town.
Armed with screw drivers and knives, two burglars scaled the compound wall and broke the lock of the entrance gate to gain entry, police sources said. The duo then bolted the room from outside where an Assistant Parish Priest was residing. Using iron rods, the culprits broke open priest Sahayaraj’s room.
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Upon hearing the sound, the priest woke up and switched on the light when the culprits attacked him on his head with the iron rods causing injury. They reportedly threatened the priest and escaped from the spot not finding anything in his room. The injured priest was treated as an outpatient at a private hospital in Manapparai.
On hearing the attack on the priest, locals assembled in front of the Manapparai police station and submitted a petition demanding action against the culprits. They also submitted a petition to the Tahsildhar.
Senior police officers inspected the spot and conducted inquiries. The Manapparai police have registered a case under IPC section 393 (attempt to commit robbery).
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The incident comes close on the heels of a dacoity in the town wherein a masked gang looted 90 sovereigns of gold, Rs. 4.34 lakh in cash and five kg silver articles from the house of a rice mill owner after threatening the inmates.