Thiruvananthapuram, Sept. 8: Police have arrested a Hindu youth on suspicion of murdering a Catholic priest in what is being seen as an instance of growing religious intolerance in parts of Kerala.

This is the first case of a Catholic priest being killed out of alleged religious hate.

Reghu Kumar, 25, has confessed that he stabbed Father Job Chitilapilly, 73, to death on August 28 on the premises of the parish house in Chalakkudy, Thrissur district, as he prepared for Holy Mass. He feared that the local priests might encourage Hindus to convert and felt that they were an obstacle to the renovation of the local temple.

Reghu reportedly tried to harm himself with a knife this morning.

Thrissur district karyavah P.G. Sasikuamar has said Reghu is not a RSS activist nor is the outfit active in the area.

Parishioners under the Varaprasadamatha church surrounded the police for nearly five hours this morning, shouting slogans against them ?for trying to suppress the conspiracy behind the murder and whittle down the probe to a single individual?.

They dispersed after Thrissur district collector K.S. Premachandra Kurup announced that chief minister Oommen Chandy had agreed to recommend a CBI probe into the murder.

Reghu, one of the three accused in the murder of an Indian National Trade Union Congress worker, left the Centre of Indian Trade Unions some time ago and has been active in the BJP, the police said.

He was reportedly engaged in the renovation of the Bhagavathy temple near the church.

Locals do not think the murder is a straightforward case of a lone fanatic?s anger against Chitilapilly. A few days ago, Manikantan, a man who was picked up for questioning by the police, was rushed to an intensive care unit after consuming poison. His father, local temple priest Vasudevan Nampoothiry, was murdered in 1979.

With rumours swirling of a conspiracy behind the murder, police are being cautious and are downplaying the murder, fearing it might have communal repercussions.