Bishop murdered in AP, factional rivalry suspected

The 64-year-old Bishop was proceeding to his residence within the AELC complex when the attack took place. A profusely bleeding Emanuel was rushed to Guntur Government Hospital, but was declared dead on admission, police said. Police sources said the slain Bishop was involved in a local land dispute and was facing threat from rival groups. Emanuel was elected President of AELC in 1997.

Meanwhile, police picked up three people in connection with the attack, police sources said. There was mild tension in the town following the incident when an enraged group of Christian youths organised a rasta roko near the Andhra Christian College. The DIG (Guntur range) Malakondaiah and DSP J Poornachander Rao visited the spot.

The AELC has been, for a long time, plagued by internal squabbles and protracted legal battles, police said, adding that one of the warring faction had recently leased out a portion of the church complex to an NRI for construction of a medical college, a report from Guntur said.

The rival faction had since moved the court and got the lease agreement revoked. Meanwhile, DIG M Malakondaiah said that the case would be investigated from all angles. "Our first task is to establish the motive," he said.

The slain bishop is survived by his wife, three sons and a daughter.