Seeking the arrest of the real culprits behind the attack on a priest and the members of Assisi Snehalaya on the outskirts on January 29, the people of Diocese of Ramanathapuram and Churches of other denominations have decided to take out a silent protest march on Sunday.

A gang of nearly 20 persons had trespassed into Assissi Snehalaya, a shelter home for those living with HIV / AIDS, in Ettimadai, and attacked a priest and some members without any provocation, shelter Superior, Fr. Mathews said at a press conference today.

Sethumurali, closely associated with the Snehalaya for the last four years, was prevented from coming to the home, due to inappropriate behaviour with girl inmates and for having misused the name of Snehalaya for collecting money, Fr. Mathews said.

To take revenge, he, in an attempt to abduct some girl inmates, had brought along some persons clad in saffron dhotis, and started attacking the priest, Fr. Jose. The priest was critically injured. A few others who had come to distribute food and clothes were also attacked, Fr. Thomas, another priest said.

Claiming that the local police remained mute spectators, when the gang attacked, Fr. Thomas said that the incident proved that there was no safety for the minority in a democratic country like India.

Police had arrested three volunteers of Snehalaya and two gang members. However, the main culprit, Sethumurali and others were still scot free and should be brought to book immediately, he said.

To condemn and register the protest against the brutal and cruel attack on the Christian minority, a silent protest march would be conducted tomorrow, they said.