Kadappa — The police arrested 14 kidnappers of Bishop Prasad Gallela including three priests of Kadappa diocese. Resentment over transfers provoked them to kidnap and manhandle the prelate, says Kadapa Superintendent of Police (SP), Dr. P Navin Gulati.

Dr. Gulati presented the arrested persons before media persons in Kadapa on Monday, May 2.

The Mydackur police booked the arrested persons on charges of kidnapping for ransom and making an attempt on the life of Bishop Gallela Prasad, 54, Bishop of Kadapa Diocese on April 25.

“Bishop Gallela Prasad was kidnapped at Chillikanuma near Nagasanipalle in Khajipet mandal on April 25 by a group of persons who showered blows on him, blindfolded and tied him up, kidnapped, and took him to an undisclosed place and demanded a ransom of Rs. 50 lakhs (USD 75,000) by threatening to kill him,” told Superintendent of Police to the media persons in Kadapa.

“It was a case of kidnapping for ransom, dacoity, attempt to murder, causing hurt and mischief, and criminal conspiracy,” he added.

The accused left the Bishop and his driver on the highway, 90 KMs away from Tadipatri at about 2 a.m. on April 26 after the Bishop agreed to pay Rs. 20 lakhs (USD 30,000), though the assailants had asked for Rs. 50 lakh.

The Bishop told some priests who visited him that the kidnappers took away his purse containing Rs. 2,000 (USD 30) his ATM card and that of his driver Vijay Kumar, as well the prelate’s silver chain with the pectoral cross and his mobile phone. They asked him if his Episcopal ring was of gold. They did not take it when he told them that it was not of gold. They also kidnapped his driver, beat him up and withdrew a total of Rs. 46,100 from his ATM card. They could not draw any money from the Bishop’s card as he had not remembered the PIN when the kidnappers asked him for it.

The main accused, Fr. Nalladimmu Raja Reddy, 48, runs “Daddy Home”, “Puja International School”, “Raja Foundation” and other prestigious institutions on his own. He is the Parish Priest of Palur in Peddamudiyam mandal of Kadapa.

The second priest arrested Fr. Lingala Vijaya Mohan Reddy, 45, the parish priest in Vallur and is accused No. 13.

The third priest arrested, Fr. Sanivarapu Marreddy, 39, parish priest at Renigunta in Chittoor district is accused No. 14.

Fr. Raja Reddy who had gifted Bishop Gallela an Innova for the prelate’s birthday had met him for funds. The response from his bishop was not up to his expectations. Later the three priests had met the bishop asking to appoint Fr Marreddy as Procurator and Fr. Mohan Reddy to the college in the next transfers. But the bishop appointed others in the recent transfers.

Fr. Raja Reddy contacted his relative Jeereddy Govardhan Reddy, 35, of Gopayapalli village in Rajupalem mandal the leader of the gang which kidnapped the prelate andmnow the second accused. He gave Mr. Jeereddy who hired 14 goons to execute the kidnap Rs.1,20,000 (USD 1,800) as advance and promised to pay more money later.

On March 25 Mr Govardhan Reddy and 14 others attacked the bishop and his driver Vijaya Kumar, blindfolded them and took them to Fr Raja’s “Daddy Home”. Bishop’s driver had peeped through his blindfold and seen some grill of this institution when they were confined there and tortured.

“The main reason behind the kidnap is the grudge that the priests developed on the bishop for his non cooperation in their efforts to loot church funds,” the SP stated.

Mydackur Deputy Superintendent of Police Mr. M. Rama Krishnaiah, Mydackur Rural Circle Inspector of Police Mr. M. Naga Bhushanam, Mydackur Urban Circle Inspector of Police Mr. Y. Venkateswarlu, Khajipet SI M. Rajagopal and Duvvur SI G. Madhusudan Reddy made the arrests, the SP said.

“The four accused — Ramana Reddy of Gopulapalli, Nageswara Reddy and Dastagiri, both of Jammalamadugu, and Ramakrishna of Rampalli — who were absconding, would soon be arrested,” the SP assured.

The SP disclosed that five cars, four ATM cards, 14 cell phones, a pen drive containing a video of an interview of the Bishop and his driver while in captivity were recovered.

The accused confessed to have made four unsuccessful attempts to kidnap the Bishop between April 6 and 15 when he went to Tirupathi and Bangalore, the SP revealed.

Fr. Sudhakar of Virupapuram parish of Kurnool diocese deplored, “Fr. Marreddy was in Italy for long. Sad happenings! Let us pray for our Church! These fathers are misled by power and money and have done great damage to the church.”

“Those who believe in money are automatically away from the Lord. So they plot against the servants of the Lord!” remarked Fr. Jayaraj of Kurnool.