The former parish priest of St Peter’s Church, Peter Barboz, 75, was found stabbed to death on Thursday.
According to the Vasaigaon police, the naked body of Barboz, who stayed at an ashram in Babholi village for 15 years, was found with many stab marks on the chest.
There was no sign of theft at his place, the police said. Some reports said he was stabbed with a knife and a pair of scissors, and a rope was tied around his neck.
Police sub-inspector A Naik, who is investigating the case, said Barboz was with the church for many years. “After retiring, he had started a rehabilitation centre at Babholi,” he said, “where he helped drug addicts. He had knowledge of ayurveda too.” Other reports said the ashram was for recovering alcoholics.
The police said Peter’s financial status was not good and he had not paid electricity bills for two months. As he was against conversions, many people from different faiths would visit him for advice and help, the police said.
The police said they suspect the land mafia was behind his murder, as the ashram is in a prime locality and is near the residence of Monsignor Felix Machado, the archbishop of Vasai.
“Fr Peter was a priest full of faith, serving the church and the people without discrimination of caste or creed. He forgot himself to serve the most poor and abandoned,” the archbishop said.
“When a man answers the call,” he added, “his life belongs completely to God and the people… Even in a death, as tragic and painful as that of Fr Peter, a priest belongs to God... His life and his death will be fruitful for the church and for India.”
He said the killing may have been the result of a grudge or a botched robbery, and ruled out religious extremism.
—With inputs from agencies
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