Catholic Priest Beaten Unconscious at Jharkhand School
Fr. Benedict Barla remains on a ventilator in Ranchi as tribal and Christian protesters demand swift arrests.
Father Benedict Barla, a Catholic priest and principal of St. Michael Boys Middle School in Khunti, Jharkhand, was found unconscious in a pool of blood in his school office on the morning of October 21.
The 55-year-old priest suffered severe injuries to the head and neck. He was taken to Pulse Hospital in Ranchi and placed on a ventilator in intensive care. Fr. Barla has served as principal of the school — also known as RC Boys Middle School — for more than 12 years. He is also assistant parish priest at St. Michael’s Cathedral.
Closed-circuit television footage shows three masked men entering the school premises between about 8:50 and 9 p.m. on October 20. They allegedly attacked the priest with sharp objects or possibly a firearm before fleeing. Money may have been stolen from the office. Police say they are examining every angle, including robbery and targeted violence against clergy.
The assault inside the principal’s own office has shaken staff, families, and the parish community that depends on the school’s Catholic mission among local boys.
Local tribal and Christian communities responded with public protests. Demonstrators blocked roads and demanded the swift arrest of those responsible for the attack on Fr. Barla.
Authorities have opened a full investigation. The violence comes against a backdrop of repeated assaults on Christians and their institutions in India, leaving priests who serve tribal populations and run schools especially exposed. The faithful are praying for Fr. Barla’s recovery and for the protection of pastors and Catholic works under threat.