It was installed after a cement cross was removed by officials

Two persons were arrested on the charge of installing a wooden cross on Friday at the spot from where a cement cross was removed by a revenue team at Pappathichola in Chinnakanal village on Thursday.

The wooden cross was, however, found removed on Saturday morning.

The Udumbanchola police arrested Kalpetta resident Raju and Idukki Rajakumari resident Sebastian, found under suspicious circumstances in a van owned by Tom Zakkariya, evangelist group head of Spirit in Jesus, a Church denomination based in Thrissur.

Encroachment row

The group had allegedly encroached on revenue land at Pappathichola, installed a cement cross, and constructed sheds there.

A revenue team on Thursday removed the cement cross and burnt down the sheds. Cases were also filed against Mr. Zakkariya and Porinju, a resident of Mannuthy in Thrissur, who blocked the way to the site by parking a vehicle. The Chinnakanal village officer visited the site on Friday and confirmed that a wooden cross had been installed there.

The arrested were interrogated at the Santhanpara police station and taken to Pappathichola, seven km from Chinnakanal.

Cases were charged against them for trespassing on government land and indulging in actions fomenting religious hatred.

They were produced before the Magistrate Court, Nedumkandam. It is learnt that the accused confessed that the wooden cross was installed by the believers of Spirit in Jesus.

The Kerala government has decided to depute 10 police personnel on permanent duty at Pappathichola. The move followed the visit of District Police Superintendent K.B. Venugopal to the site.

Members of Spirit in Jesus demanded in a press meet here on Saturday that the government reinstall the cross which was removed as part of an eviction drive at Pappathichola.

They said the organisation had not encroached upon any land. The land, where the cross was situated, belonged to a devotee, Maria Souza.