MANGALURU: The CCTV footage of a church priest assaulting an elderly couple at Pariyalthadka village in Dakshina Kannada has gone viral on social media.
Fr Nelson Olivera, Parish priest of Christ the King parish at Manela in Pariyalthadka near Vittla in Bantwal taluk allegedly assuated the elderly couple after a fight broke out when he had visited their house for blessings on February 29.
There are allegations that the couple Gregory and Philomena and the priest had differences of opinion and when the latter visited their house, the couple allegedly asked him not to visit their house and soon they entered into verbal abuse with the priest assaulting the couple.
Sources said, both the parties were admitted to the hospital. No case regarding the incident has been registered yet.
Meanwhile, the Diocese of Mangalore in a press communique said that it is deeply saddened by the incident and as an immediate response, the concerned priest would be removed from the religious ministry at Christ the King church.
"The diocese will fully cooperate with the law enforcing authorities and apart from thr enquiry initiated by the government departments, the diocese of Mangalore will also initiate canonical enquiries for establishing the truth of the facts to take adequate future course of action in a just and fair manner," it said.