The Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the police to arrest and remove all supporters of Jacobite faction who have assembled inside St. Mary's Church at Piravom . They have been occupying the church premises since yesterday morning to prevent Orthodox priests from offering prayers there.
The court gave the oral directive when the case relating to the Piravom church came up for hearing.
The court also asked the State government as well as counsel for the Jacobite faction to explain under what authority the Jacobite faction supporters are preventing the faithful who wanted to enter the church.
In fact, nobody had any right to prevent the faithful who wish to enter the church and carry out religious services, the court orally observed.
Collector asked to take control
The High Court asked Ernakulam District Collector S. Suhas to take control of the St. Mary's Church by ensuring the removal of all supporters of the Jacobite faction from its premises.
When the case relating to the Piravom church was taken up for hearing at 1.45 p.m. today, the State Attorney informed the court that the operation of arresting and removing the protesters was under way. It would take two to three days to complete the operation.
The court had, in the morning, directed the State government to arrest and remove the supporters of Jacobite faction assembled inside the church and file an action taken report by 1.45 p.m. today after complying with its earlier directive to provide police protection to the Orthodox priests to perform religious services at the church.
The court observed that the Supreme Court verdict in favour of the Orthodox faction should be implemented in letter and in spirit. The court would not allow anybody to violate the order.
The case was posted for hearing on Friday.
