Bantwal: Elderly couple manhandled by church priest alleges ostracisation by community

Bantwal: Elderly couple manhandled by church priest alleges ostracisation by community

Mangalore Today News Network

Bantwal, Mar 27, 2024: An elderly couple who were manhandled by a church priest in Parialthadka village of Bantwal taluk near here earlier this month, have been allegedly ostracised by the Christian community of the village.

 

The CCTV footage of a church priest assaulting an elderly couple at their home in Dakshina Kannada had gone viral on social media. Fr. Nelson Olivera, Parish priest of Christ the King parish at Manela in Pariyalthadka near Vittla, allegedly assaulted the elderly couple after a fight broke out during his visit to their house for blessings on February 29. After the couple lodged a complaint after the incident, they allege that the Christian community has been ostracising them.

The couple, Gregory Montheiro and Philomena Coelho told reporters on Tuesday that the harassment began soon after they lodged a complaint against the priest.

The couple were removed from all Whatsapp groups connected to the church, after this, they alleged that the people belonging to the Christian community in the village all of a sudden, stopped interacting with them. They also accused the Mangalore Diocese of trying to shield the accused priest by exerting pressure on the police to weaken the case.

Meanwhile, social activists Robert Rosario and Maurice Mascarenhas who helped the couple lodge an FIR against the priest, said they have become victims of witch hunt for helping the couple. "Christians across the Mangalore Diocese are being provoked to lodge false complaints against us by projecting us as anti-Christians. But no Christian has succumbed to the pressure so far due to increased awareness among the community people," he said.

Maurice Mascarenhas said he was removed from the Parish Council of the Puttur church allegedly for aiding the couple. Stating that he wrote against it to the Bishop Rev Peter Paul Saldanha but got no response, he accused the bishop being hand in glove with the parish priest Fr Lawrence.

Rosario condemned the Mangalore Diocese for allegedly not reaching out to the elderly couple in distress. "The incident which was caught on CCTV camera evoked sharp criticism from the public. But neither the bishop bothered to visit the victims not sent anyone in order to give them moral support. He did not even respond to my letter regarding the incident," alleged Rosario.

The assalt victim Gregory said that Mangalore Diocese PRO Roy Castelino visited his house a few days after the incident along with a member of Mangalore Catholic Sabha by keeping his identity secret. "He checked the CCTV footage and when he did not get anything that goes against us, he quietly left. Later, we realised that it was Roy Castelino," he said. He demanded impartial inquiry and strict punishment for the accused.

Courtesy: Indian Express