Kochi | Police have registered two cases against priests and believers of the Syrian Jacobite and Malankara Orthodox factions after they clashed over the ownership of a church at Piramadom near here, officials said on Monday.

Ramamangalam police registered separate cases against 10 persons, including priests of the Jacobite faction, and 12 priests and believers of the Orthodox faction on Sunday night.

Police officials said both cases were registered following complaints from the two factions and non-bailable offences have been charged.

Officials said the investigation is underway and police personnel have been deployed at St John's Bethlehem Church at Piramadom to prevent any further violence.

The church has been at the centre of a dispute over its ownership between the Malankara Orthodox and Jacobite Syrian factions. Currently, the church is under the control of the Jacobite faction, police said.

Police said a few priests of the Orthodox faction reached the church on Sunday, citing a judgment of the Muvattupuzha Sub Court, reportedly ruling in their favour in the ownership dispute.

However, a Jacobite priest and believers who were at the church resisted the move, claiming that a Munsiff Court had reportedly ruled in their favour, police said.

The verbal clash culminated in pushing and shoving between priests of the two factions.

Police said both factions claimed that their priests were injured in the melee.

The Ernakulam district administration has called a meeting of representatives of both factions to resolve the issue amicably.

The dispute between the Orthodox and Jacobite factions has been continuing for several years, with several court rulings issued over the possession of properties and churches belonging to the two factions.