Priest beats up boy for failing Bible quiz, absconds

Mangaluru: A Catholic church priest was charged with assaulting a boy after he failed to answer questions on the Bible, during his first communion catechism class in Our Lady of Fatima Church, Mangaluru. Police said the priest is absconding.

The incident occurred on April 12 and the case registered on April 18. The parents of the 12-year-old boy said parish priest Andrew D'Costa got furious with the victim during the first communion catechism as he failed to answer some Bible-related questions. Later, he beat him black and blue with a stick.

After the boy narrated the incident to his parents, who are from a poor economic background, they filed a case against the priest. Police said the priest was booked under the Juvenile Justice Act and IPC 324.

Rev Fr William Menezes, public relations officer, Mangaluru Diocese, told TOI the accused priest confessed he had reprimanded the boy, but denied manhandling him.

Most Rev Aloysius Paul D'Souza, Bishop of Mangaluru, also asked the priest - who is reportedly under treatment in hospital - to cooperate with the police and meet the boy's family.