Church priest case, pressure to withdraw case alleged

Church priest case, pressure to withdraw case alleged

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, April 27, 2016:  It is reported that a Christian organization has appealed to Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop of Mangaluru, to ensure that the family of a 9-year-old-boy is not pressured to withdraw a case filed against a priest who allegedly assaulted the child.

Parish priest Andrew D’Costa was charged with assaulting the boy after he failed to answer questions in a religous training, during his first communion catechism class in Our Lady of Fatima Church, under Vittal police station limits. The incident occurred on April 12 and the case was registered on April 18. The parents of the 9-year-old boy said the priest got furious with the victim during the first communion catechism as he failed to answer meet his expectations. Later, he beat him with a stick and scars were visible and the boy was terrorized.

The boy narrated the incident to his parents, who are from a poor economic background, they filed a case against the priest. However, even after a week, police have not arrested the priest who according to sources is being treated at Fr Mullers Hospital, Fathima ward no. 631.

United Christians Association (UCA), which has submitted a letter to the bishop said it is extremely unfortunate that one of the priests from Peruvai has committed the grievous crime on a minor boy under his religious custody. UCA has alleged that the family is being threatened to withdraw the case.

 Fr Willia m Menezes, public relation officer (PRO), is reported to have said that the priest is being treated for hypertension caused due the incident. "The priest has co-operated in the case," he added. S D Sharanappa, superintendent of police, DK, said that the complaint was filed by a third party and the section registered is bailable but does not entail immediate arrest of the accused.