ഒരു കൊലപാതകത്തിന്റെ ചുരുള്‍ അഴിയുന്നു....

(ബാംഗ്ലൂര്‍ വെച്ച് വധിക്കപ്പെട്ട ഫാ. കെ. ജെ തോമസിന്റെ കൊലപാതകത്തിലേക്ക് നയിച്ച സംഭവങ്ങള്‍ രണ്ടാം പ്രതിയായ ഫാ. വില്ല്യം പാട്രിക് കോടതിയില്‍ നടത്തിയ വിശദീകരണത്തിലൂടെ സമ്മതിക്കുന്നു. വൈദികര്‍ ഉയര്‍ത്തിയ ന്യായമായ ആവശ്യങ്ങള്‍ പരിഗണിക്കാന്‍ വിസമ്മതിച്ച രൂപതാധികാരികള്‍ വരുത്തി വെച്ച വിനയെന്ന് ഫെയിസ് ബുക്കില്‍ പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെട്ട ഈ പോസ്റ്റ്‌ ശ്രദ്ധാ പൂര്‍വ്വം വായിച്ചാല്‍ മനസ്സിലാകും). 

Voluntary Statement of Fr William Patrick (Accused Number -2)

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“The following day I participated in the funeral ceremony of Fr K J Thomas at St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary Bangalore. I paid my last respect to him. I participated in the holy mass so that no one could suspect me about the murder of 

Fr K J Thomas.” – Fr William Patrick.

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I have been Parish priest for the last 4 years at St Francis of Assisi Church, Kengari, Bangalore. Earlier I was the parish of St Pius the X Church for about 6 years.

My parents have nine children, four girls and five boys and I am the second son. I did my studies from standard one to standard seven at Ramanagaram government school. From standard eight to tenth I studied at St Aloysius School, Cox town Bangalore. Later I was a seminarian at St Mary’s Seminary Mysore. During that time I studied PUC at St Philomena’s College Mysore.

In the year 1986 I came to Malleshwaram, Bangalore to St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary to study for the priesthood. I have done BA and BTH. I was ordained on 27-04-1994. I was an assistant parish priest from June 1994 to 1996 at our lady of victories, champion reef, KGF. From 1996 to 1998 I was assistant parish priest at St Joseph’s Church, Briands square chamarajpet. From 1998 to 2004 I was at St Antony’s Church bettadahalsuru kanakapura Bangalore. From 2004 to 2010 I was at St Pios X church Kammanahalli Bangalore. From 2010 onwards I am the parish priest at St. Francis of Assisi church Bangalore.

After my ordination I have observed that prayer services are conducted mostly in English, Tamil and Malayalam and Kannada has not been given importance. Therefore Kannada priests of Karnataka came together and started a Kannada Dharmagurugala Balaga of which I am a member. While in other states such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh due importance to the mother tongue is given, in Karnataka there is discrimination all throughout. Therefore we have been appealing to the Arch Bishop of Bangalore from time and time requesting him to conduct prayers in Kannada in the churches. But our requests have not been given any response and they have been in vain.

In the Yajakara Balaga Fr A Thomas is the present president and Fr Anthappa is the Honorary President. I am the secretary of the Balaga and there are many priests who are its members. We have held protest several times along with Kannada Catholicaka christra Sangha at St. Peters Pontifical Seminary. We have expressed through our petitions the injustice done to Kannada Priests, but there has been no use. The authorities have purposely turned down our request and have been looking down upon us.

We had filed prayers to start a Kannada Seminary in the premises of St Peter’s Seminary. But so far there has been no response. Therefore every member of the Balaga is in an angry mood. In this regard on 8-11-2012 we had a protest along with the Akila Karnataka Catholic Sangha at the press meet in Bangalore Press Club where we expressed our bitter experience. On 10-11-2012 we had a sit in protest in front of the Arch Bishop House at 11 am. Akila Karnataka Catholic Sangha office bearers such as G R Pereira, B Anthony Prasad, Raffle Raj, David Raj and Dev Kumar, Arogyappa, A Moses and Devaraj participated. Fr Chasara the editor of Mathu Katha and Mrs Rita Rini have published the aim and the objectives of our organizations to the general public from time to time.

In spite of our protest and submission of our petitions we have been neglected and sidelined. Therefore we are disturbed, discouraged and frustration. We have reached a stage of revenge.

So far no Kannada priest has been appointed as rector of St. Peters Pontifical Seminary. Besides they have not appointed any Kannada priest as formatters. Only one person has been a spiritual director. Thus it reflects the anti Kannada attitude of the authority.

Although the seat of the Bishop is vacant in Shimoga for many months they have not appointed any Kannada Bishop. Fr Lourd Prasad’s name was in circulation earlier. Later the name of Fr K J Thomas, the rector of St. Peters Pontifical Seminary was heard and Fr K J Thomas should have finished the term in February 2013 and we believed that Lourde Prasad would succeed him as the rector of St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary. It is because among the Kannada Priests Fr Lourd Prasad is the senior priest and he has all the required qualities to be the rector and the Bishop. But Fr K J Thomas having joined hands with anti Kannada groups so to it that he becomes the rector for the second term. Thus the Kannidagas have been let down. In this regard along with the like minded Kannada organizations we led a protest march in Febury 2013 at St. Peters Pontifical Seminary where the Bishops held a conference. The Arch Bishop of Bangalore in order to silence us joined hands with all the non kannada organizations and with the help of the police stopped our protest by filing cases against us. As a result we underwent a severe financial problem and without any reasons our protest were silenced.

In this regard having realised that our silent protest have no values and our petitions will not be heard any longer, we, the like minded priests such as Lourd Prasad, A Thomas, Chasara, G Joseph, Elias, Bartholomew and Arulappa and myself from time to time met at Kengari, Jaraganahalli, Selvapura, St Joseph’s Briand’s Square and conducted secret meetings. Having shared our joys and sorrow we came to a conclusion that unless we finish Fr K J Thomas our woes and worries will not be heard. Besides we believed that if we were to acquire the huge property of St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary our organization would grow stronger and no one would interfere with us. Thus we wanted to take possession of the documents of 36 Acers of land given by His Highness for Kannada Seminary. But the Rector had possessed all this documents and therefore we wanted to take the custody of all these files and legally fight. In this conspiracy although all the above mentioned were the parties myself, Fr Elias, Peter his assistant, Swami and Francis were directly involved.

Fr Elias used to visit my home in kengari along with his friend Swami and Peter. We used to discuss all the developments. Fr Elias told us not to be worried and that Francis and Swami would take care of everything. If we were to do away with Fr K J Thomas the rector of St Peters Pontifical Seminary we would have a good name in the Christian Community and the injustice done to Kannada Priests would be set right. Besides Fr Lourd Prasad and Arulappa who have been deprived of their rightful status would be vindicated. We used to discuss these matters with Fr Elias. He himself used to request me to plead his case with Fr Lourd Prasad for having failed in cannon law and Fr Lourd Prasad had given us the assurance and Fr Elias was visiting the seminary many times. In Feb 2013 when Fr Elias was staying with me he used to pay visit to the seminary and discuss the matter with me. He used to tell me that it was not the proper time since seminary brothers and priest had not gone for leave. Therefore we believed that the time after 31srt March 2013 would be an appropriate one. Thus on 23-02-2013 when Fr Elias was in Bangalore he paid a visit to the seminary and examined all the places and told me “ the days of Fr K J Thomas are not very far” I have planned everything. A day before that we need to come together and discuss the matter so that our plan is carried out.

On 31-03-2013 Sunday I finished the Easter mass and having blessed the convent went to my mother’s house in Ramanagaram and having taken the meals returned to kengari at night 8 pm. At that time Francis was waiting for me at my door. Later I opened the door and welcomed him. At that time Francis told me hurriedly that Fr Elias had called us to come to the RTO office at 10.30 pm in Yeshvantpur. When I was locking the rood and getting ready Francis told me that to leave behind the mobile phone in the room as suggested by Fr Elias. Having left my mobile behind me along with Francis went to Yeshvantpur RTO office by auto. It was about 10.30 pm and at that time Swami who was near the tea shop saw me and told me that Fr Elias and Peter would come any moment. Thus about 5-10 minutes later Fr Elias and Peter came by the black coloured pulsar motor cycle. Leaving the motor cycle by the temple side we went and had tea. Then Fr Elias told us we should finish Fr K J Thomas by all means that day, otherwise we kannidigas would have no peace. When he said that we all agreed. Later Fr Elias went to the motor cycle and brought some weapon hidden in a piece of cloth. It was about 2 feet in length sharp iron rod. At the same time I too went to the foot path and picked a brick from the brick lot there and covered it in my shawl. Francis had brought a black leather bag and told us that it contained some iron weapons. Fr Elias ascertained that none of us had mobile phones with us. At that time I realised that Francis had already told us to leave our mobile phone at home.

Later we all went walking to St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary. Near the gate the security guard knew Fr Elias and when he called he came immediately and Fr Elias gave him some money as Easter gift and the guard taking the money walked towards yeshvantpur. Peter was told to stand near the gate and inform us if anyone would come. It was around 11-11.15 pm. There was thunder and lightning and little rain. Francis with the iron rod in his hand broke open the door of the main entrance and we all went inside. At that time Peter came running saying that he was afraid of standing alone. Later Fr Elias opened the drawers and we did not get the papers required by us. We took the key hung on the nail and opened the museum room. There also we did not get any papers. Later we went to the left side of the corridor and with the hammer brought by Francis tried to open the room. Then we heard someone coming out of the next room. It was Fr K J Thomas who came out and said “who is that, why are you hear.” When he was shouting Fr Elias with the iron rod in his hand hit Fr K J Thomas behind his head and also hit his face with his fist and as a result blood started oozing from his nose, his mouth and behind his head and when Fr K J Thomas tried to escape to his room I went behind him and caught hold the cassock of the Fr K J Thomas and he fell down. I stamped the chest of Fr K J Thomas and hit him with the brick.

At that time Fr K J Thomas was crying “Jesus, Jesus.” Later I went to Fr Thomas room and brought a towel. I tore it into two pieces and with one peace I strangled his neck. Later I went to his room and having brought a key dragged Fr K J Thomas to the next room. I also brought a bucket of water from his room and with the other piece of cloth I cleaned the blood strains on the corridor. Later I folded his cassock and kept it near the plant close by. The other piece of towel I put it in the bag.

After Peter and I went to Fr K J Thomas room in search of the files then Fr Elias, Francis and Swami went to the other rooms and searched for the files in his office and bed room. We got some papers and covered the same in a towel and came out. Meanwhile Fr Elias, Francis and Swami came and told us that we did not get anything. Then we went to Fr Patrick Xavier’s room and tried to break open his door. But we could not succeed. After that we came out and Swami said that he would stay back in the seminary. Later four of us went walking to the main gate of the seminary. While going towards Yeshvantpur circle I had the blood strained towel kept in a plastic bag in a bush near Mysore lamps compound. Later we came to the place where Fr Elias had parked his motor cycle. Fr Elias took me and Francis on his motor cycle and left us near kengari main road. Francis went from there and I went to my house and the documents brought from St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary I hid it in a suit case and I shall hand them over to you when you take me to my house.

The following day I participated in the funeral ceremony of Fr K J Thomas at St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary Bangalore. I paid my last respect to him. I participated in the holy mass so that no one could suspect me about the murder of Fr K J Thomas.

I shall identify Fr Elias, Francis, Peter and Swami and shall hand over the blood strained towel kept in a plastic bag thrown in the bush at Mysore lamp factory.