... It is deeply tragic because Father Thomas returned to Hazaribagh only in August '97 for doing field studies ... and was to return to Manila in January, 1998 to complete his studies. Earlier Father Thomas had worked in this area for over 6 years going around setting up village level schools among the poor and the Dalits ... The attack so close on the heels of the incident of torture of Father Christudas was carefully planned and executed ...

... Forces of social justice are being brutally stifled by the vested interests. These retrograde, nasty, dull and brutish elements have to be identified and hunted down to their lairs ... The money lenders, the land sharks, the feudals with their bonded labour and armed 'senas', and

the corrupt contractors particularly forest contractors in the area are definite suspects. As usual, there will be no evidence and the criminals will roam free. The terror is such that none can be expected to come in the open and speak against the mafia. No government is worth its salt unless it can uproot this evil ... and restore confidence in the criminal justice system.

Several Left wing extremist groups do also operate in the area ... The kernel of (their) ideology is the replacement of the present administration by a system which is for the poor. Father Thomas was a one man  challenge to the whole gamut of anti-poor conspiracy in his area ... These attacks (are) against the concept of secularism and the idea of service to the poor. The conscience of the Nation should awaken in revolt against this evil.