A church priest was arrested on the charges of unlawful entry and behaving rudely with women during a mass prayer at Tamil Nadu Evangelical Lutheran Church (TELC) on Mengles Road here on Sunday. The arrested was Arivannal of Poodhalur in Thanjavur district.
Police said that six persons, headed by priest Arivannal, disrupted the Sunday mass conducted by priest Clement at the church in the morning. Priest Arivannal also allegedly used unparliamentary words against the church members, who tried to prevent his activities. He also reportedly pushed aside men and women members of the church.
Acting on a complaint lodged by Church Treasurer Jeyakumar, Dindigul North police registered a case and arrested him. In his complaint, Mr. Jeyakumar stated that TELC headquarters had dismissed priest Arivannal from service as he was reportedly involved in several cases. He and his associates barged in to the prayer hall announcing that he was appointed as treasurer of the church. Mr. Jeyakumar also told the police that the priest also threatened to kill him, Mr. Jeyakumar added.
The police the priest on the charges of unlawfully entering the church and behaving rudely with women. They were in search of five others.
Church member Jegadeesh Kumar said that several cases, including a case for selling church properties illegally while he was serving in TELC churches in Dindigul, Periyakulam and Usilampatti and another case for sexually harassing a schoolteacher and girl students, were pending against priest Arivannal.
The church has been functioning with 150 members under control of TELC headquarters in Tiruchi.
