Indian Catholic priest stabbed |
A Catholic priest of Indian-origin was stabbed with a knife by a man in Melbourne city, Australia. The priest, Tomy Kalathoor Mathew, 48, was preparing to deliver the Sunday mass at St. Matthew`s Parish at Fawkner suburb, when a man stabbed him with a knife, reportedly saying that he is not qualified to lead the service as, being Indian origin, he must be a Hindu or a Muslim. Mathew was stabbed in the left side of neck, before he was taken to Northern Hospital where he is undergoing treatment. The local churchgoers expressed shock at the incident. Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne spokesman Shane Healy also expressed shock over the stabbing, describing the incident as “appalling”. The eyewitnesses to the incident reportedly claimed that the accused was trying to meet Mathew even before the incident for a long time. The police arrested a 72-year-old man from Fawkner on charges of intentionally and recklessly causing injury. Father Tomy Mathew suffered minor upper-body injuries and remains in a stable condition at The Northern Hospital. Vicar General Monsignor Greg Bennet said the priest was doing well in the hospital and wanted to get back to work soon.
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