Piramadom church brawl over ownership leads to 22 nonbailable charges
India
A fight broke out on August 9 between the Syrian Jacobite and Malankara Orthodox groups over who owns St. John's Bethlehem Church in Piramadom, near Kochi.
Police have now filed cases against 22 people from both sides, including priests, after complaints from each group.
Everyone involved faces nonbailable charges.
Rival rulings spark Piramadom church clash
The tension started when Orthodox priests visited the church, pointing to a court ruling backing their claim.
Jacobite members pushed back, citing a different court judgment in their favor, and things quickly turned physical.
This isn't a new issue: the church's ownership has been disputed for years.
To keep things calm, police are now stationed at the church, and local officials are trying to help both sides find common ground.