PIRAVOM: Tension prevailed at the St Mary's Church in Ernakulam after police attempted to evict Jacobite members from the church. The situation soon became worse when the Orthodox members began to fight it out with the Jacobite group. District Collector has issued prohibitory order in the region.

Earlier, police entered the church in order to evict the 67 Jacobite members who were included in the forbidden list issued by the collector. The forbidden list which has been issued for a period of two months even consists the name of the trustee of the Jacobite faction.

The Orthodox group has been staging a protest outside the church ever since the Jacobite members continued to stay inside the church. According to the Orthodox group, the Supreme Court has given them permission to enter the church and conduct prayers. However, the Jacobite group have refused to give up the church as they demand a revision of the Supreme court order.