TURA: Parishioners of the Sacred Heart Church in Tura have begun night vigil from Thursday to check against unwanted elements following a post midnight entry into the church compound by a group of men who wanted the parish priest to accompany them to pray over a man said to be possessed with spiritual entities.
The incident which took place Wednesday past midnight, at 1:15 AM, when load shedding was in progress across Tura, has rattled the faithful.
“I was in bed when our dogs in the compound began to bark nonstop and I heard voices below our living quarters. I got up and saw from the top verandah two men below,” recalled parish priest Theodore T Sangma.
When he asked the reason for the late night entry the two men said they had come to seek Fr Theodore’s help for exorcism of a family member who was possessed back home.
Exorcism is an ancient religious or spiritual practice of evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a person, or an area, that are believed to be possessed.
” I told them I cannot go with them so late in the night and asked them to come in the morning,” said Fr Theodore who did not open the gates of the living quarters for the men.
The men initially did not leave until the priest threatened to call the police. They later left in two motorbikes parked outside the main gate of the church where three other persons had also waited.
Before leaving one of them also lit a candle at the grotto of Mother Mary.
“They did not threaten or use harsh language but had insisted that I go with them. With what intentions they came we do not know. But to enter the church compound so late at night and specially when the entire town was in darkness has been worrisome for us,” said the parish priest.
The recent incidents of unlawful entry and robbery inside four churches in Garo Hills and the assault of two priests by armed dacoits during midnight hours has led to much concern among the faithful.
West Garo Hills Superintendent of Police MGR Kumar said that nothing is being ruled out about the late night entry which is being investigated although preliminary indications doesn’t seem to point to a robbery angle.
He also said that security has been beefed up during the night hours across the town.