By Frida Toppo

Raiganj: A 52-year-old priest of the diocese of Raiganj in West Bengal has died in a road accident.

The accident occurred on November 29 when Father Clement Kerketta, assistant parish priest of Catholic Church in Debijhora, was returning after attending the ordination anniversary of his minor seminary batchmate Father Celestine Bora, pastor of the Our Lady of Wayside Church in Islampur.

Kerketta was traveling on a motorbike with his parish priest Father Emilius Soreng when their vehicle collided with a truck just 4 km from their parish.

While Father Kerketta died on the spot Father Soreng’s left leg was broken in two places and admitted to Mountpara nursing home Siliguri where his condition was stated to be serious.

Father Kerketta’s funeral services will be at 8 am on December 1. Bishop Fulgence Aloysius Tigga will lead the services at St Joseph Cathedral in chotparwa, Raiganj.

Bishop Tigga, mourning Father Kerketta’s death, said he was “very much saddened” by the loss of a priest who was committed to his mission. “He was a man of few words, soft and gentle,” the prelate told Matters India.

Father Bora expressed shock at this batchmate’s untimely death. “He was a man of justice, tender and caring. I miss my supportive and loving friend,” the priest told Matters India.

Father Marcus Dungdung, another priest, hailed Father Kerketta as simple and obedient. “He was selfless in the service of the poor and the needy. We will remember his deeds of kindness always. With great sorrow we bid him farewell.”

Father Kerketta served the diocese of Raiganj for 19 years.

Father Kerketta was born on August 31, 1968 at Mahuatoli village in the Gumla district of the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand .His did his schooling at St. Ignatius school, Gumla, and joined the Minor seminary at St. Leo Mirwal Raiganj.

He did his theology at Morning Star Seminary in Barrackpore near Kolkata, capital of West Bengal.

After his ordination he worked as assistant priest at Sinaiour, and Malda.He was a high school assistant teacher at Rahutera.

He requested to work as an assistant priest because of his poor health condition.