Patna, May 2: Catholic priest of Mokama and vicar-general of the Patna archdiocese, Father Mathew Uzhuthal, who was stabbed several times by a local extortionist on April 11, died in the wee hours of yesterday.

Father Uzhuthal, aged 70, was attacked on the evening of April 11 at his office-cum-residence in Mokama, about 80 km from the capital.

The priest sustained serious injuries on his chest and back of the neck, besides several cuts.

The priest, who had refused to give in to the demands of the criminal Gyan Das, died at Kurji Holy Family Hospital in the capital following a five-hour spinal chord operation conducted by senior neurologist from Delhi, Ramesh Chandra.

?Tests showed that Father Uzhuthal had suffered extensive soft tissue injury on the posterior of the neck, besides injury in the lungs due to stabbing,? a church bulletin said.

A special funeral service was organised at the archbishop?s house last evening, which was attended by hundreds of well-wishers.

The body was buried at the parish cemetery in Mokama this morning. Police conducted the post mortem yesterday morning.

Das, who is understood to have a long criminal record, is still at large. ?In spite of the FIR filed soon after the incident, the accused is going around scot-free and even continues to threaten church personnel and members of the Christian community,? a source said.

A delegation led by Archbishop Benedict Osta met director-general of police Narayan Mishra and Governor Buta Singh on April 29 and appealed to them to arrest and prosecute Das and provide police protection to the church.