Kerala: Former church helper arrested for Father Xavier Thelakkat's murder

Kerala police today arrested Johny, the prime suspect in the shocking murder of Father Xavier Thelakkat, who was stabbed to death in Malayattoor, a village near Kochi.

Johny was a sexton employed at the St Thomas international pilgrim centre, which was overseen by Father Thelakkat. The priest was fatally stabbed inside the pilgrim centre following an altercation with Johny.

According to locals, Johny, who was employed as Father Thelakkat's helper, was removed from his job around three months ago.

"He was terminated from the job after some issue. Johny wanted to get back his job and appealed to parish council," a Malayattoor local John Menachery told India Today previously.

After being stabbed, allegedly by Jonhy, Father Thelakkat was rushed to the Little Flower Hospital in Angamaly where he was succumbed to his injuries.

The St Thomas international pilgrim centre became so after the Vatican gave Malayattoor's St Thomas' Church an international pilgrim centre status, the first such award in India. St Thomas' Church is one of the oldest Catholic shrines in the world.

Father Thelakkat, apart from overseeing the pilgrim centre, was also a practising lawyer and a social activist who fought against quarry mafia in the locality. He was 52.

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