Kerala: Police Register Cases After Orthodox, Jacobite Factions Clash Over Church

Kochi: The Kerala police have registered two cases against priests and believers of the Syrian Jacobite and Malankara Orthodox factions following a clash over the ownership of a church at Piramadom near Kochi. Officials confirmed the development on Monday (August 10, 2026).

The Ramamangalam police filed separate cases against 10 persons, including priests, belonging to the Jacobite faction, and 12 priests and believers of the Orthodox faction on Sunday night. Both complaints were lodged by the two factions against each other, and non-bailable offences have been charged, according to police officials.

Investigations are currently underway, and police personnel have been deployed at St John’s Bethlehem Church at Piramadom to prevent any further violence. The church has been at the centre of a long-running ownership dispute between the Malankara Orthodox and Jacobite Syrian factions. At present, the church remains under the control of the Jacobite faction, police said.

The incident began when a few priests of the Orthodox faction arrived at the church on Sunday, citing a judgment of the Muvattupuzha Sub Court, which reportedly ruled in their favour in the ownership dispute. However, a Jacobite priest and believers present at the church resisted the move, claiming that a Munsiff Court had reportedly ruled in their favour. The verbal disagreement soon escalated into pushing and shoving between priests of the two factions.

Both factions have alleged that their priests were injured in the melee. Police officials have not confirmed any serious injuries so far.

The Ernakulam district administration has called a meeting of representatives from both factions to resolve the issue amicably. The administration has urged both sides to maintain peace while the legal and administrative processes continue.

The dispute between the Orthodox and Jacobite factions is not new. Both groups, which share historical roots but split over administrative and theological differences, have been locked in legal battles for years over the possession of churches and properties across Kerala. Several court rulings have been issued over time, often leading to conflicting claims and occasional tensions at disputed sites.

In recent years, the Supreme Court and various lower courts have attempted to settle the matter, but implementation of judgments has repeatedly triggered friction between the factions. The Piramadom church is one of many such disputed places of worship, where emotions run high and legal remedies sometimes clash with local claims of possession.

Community leaders and legal experts say that such disputes require not only judicial clarity but also sustained dialogue between the factions to ensure peaceful coexistence and freedom of worship. The district administration’s intervention is seen as a step towards de-escalation.

Authorities have appealed to the public and followers of both factions to exercise restraint and respect the legal process. Further police action will depend on the outcome of the investigations and the peace meeting.