Forest officials flayed for registering trespass case against Church authorities

The Kothamangalam diocese under the Syro-Malabar Church criticised the Forest department and the Forest Minister after another case was registered against the Church authorities.

According to officials, on April 12 the Forest department removed a cross erected the previous day by St. Thomas Church, Thommankuth, under the Syro-Malabar Church, on a property beside the Neyyassery-Thokkumban Road at Naranganam. The department also booked a case against the parish priest for erecting the cross on forestland. On April 19, the church organised a Way of the Cross procession to the location from where the Forest department had removed the cross. But the Church authorities alleged that the Forest department booked another case against Kothamangalam diocese general Vincent Nedungattu, Chancellor Fr. Jose Kulathur and parish priest Fr. James Ikaramattom on the charges of trespassing.

Fr. Jacob Rathappallil, Director of the Commission for Social Harmony and Vigilance of the Kothamangalam diocese, said that the church erected the cross on land under its possession. “The Forest department illegally demolished the cross and did not withdraw the cases though the parish authorities submitted relevant documents. In addition, the Forest department is trying to slap more charges on the local people and the Church authorities.

Fr. Rathappallil stated that the Chief Minister and the Forest Minister should intervene in this issue and take steps to prevent the Forest department officials from engaging in such actions.

A senior Forest department official said that the department only booked a trespass case against the Church authorities for illegally entering forestland. “The Forest department only issued a notice for the incident and didn’t arrest any people over the issue,” said the official.

Last week, the district administration decided to conduct a Revenue, Forest, and Police department-level joint verification in the area at Naranganam, near Thommankuth, from where the cross was removed. According to sources, a recent report by the Thodupuzha tahsildar said that the area was revenue land and part of human settlement.

Published - May 30, 2025 08:14 pm IST