Khunti (Jharkhand), Oct 23 — The Jharkhand police have solved the case of the attempted murder of Father Benedict Barla, principal of RC Boys Middle School, associated with St Michael's Church in Khunti, officials said on Friday.
Three juveniles have been detained in connection with the attack, while a search is going on for a fourth accused.
The incident had triggered widespread public outrage in the district.
According to police, all four accused are former students of the school. They entered the school premises to steal money to visit a local fair.
When Father Barla unexpectedly arrived at the school, one of the accused attacked him with a small hoe-like weapon, striking him on the forehead and temple to avoid being caught.
Acting on the accused persons' disclosures, police recovered Rs 85,747 in cash, mobile phones, and several items purchased with the stolen money.
Addressing a press conference on Friday evening, Rishabh Garg, Superintendent of Police of Khunti, said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to track down the accused through technical evidence, CCTV footage, and information gathered during questioning.
The three detained juveniles are aged 13, 14, and 15 years. The role and age of the fourth accused will be known after the arrest, he said.
According to the SP, the four juveniles arrived at the school premises at around 8.30 p.m. on October 20 to steal money. During the theft attempt, they encountered Father Barla, leading to a confrontation.
One of the juveniles then assaulted him with the weapon, causing serious injuries to his forehead and temple.
After Father Barla collapsed, the accused stole items from the school office and fled. The entire incident lasted about 30 minutes, police said.
Father Barla was found unconscious and severely injured on the school campus the nerxt day on the morning of October 21. He was shifted to a hospital in Ranchi, where he is still getting treatment.
Police received information about the incident at around 8.45 a.m. on October 21. Police examined CCTV footage from the surrounding area and analysed mobile tower data.
During the probe, a suspicious mobile number was identified, leading police to the first accused.
Interrogation revealed the involvement of two other juveniles. Based on their disclosures, police recovered mobile phones and cash that had been buried in a forest area.
The accused used part of the stolen money to purchase goods online and from local markets, while the remaining amount was hidden at different locations.
According to police, all four accused had passed Class 7 from the same school and had earlier stayed in the school's hostel.
The attack on Father Barla sparked protests across Khunti. On Friday, members of the Christian community and local residents organised a silent march demanding strict action against the accused.
The protesters had also blocked a road in the area.