Kundapur: Fr Sylvester Pereira Assaulted by Ramanna Shetty

Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (GA)
with inputs and pics from Vinay Pais

Kundapur, Jun 25: In a shocking incident Fr Sylvester Pereira, OCD, superior of Carmel Ashram near Sunrise Factory at Katkere of Koteshwar was assaulted by  leader of a local Hindu organization here on Monday June 25 morning. 

Two Carmelite brothers (who are studying for priesthood and  who are residing with Fr Sylvester Pereira) too were assaulted along with their cook Mukund Bhandary in Surgeon Hospital at Koteshwar. 

Fr Sylvester had gone to the hospital with Br Joyston Saldanha, Br John Pradeep and their cook Mukund Bhandary to Surgeon Hospital to fetch medicine to both the brothers and cook.  They were accompanied by one Valerian D'Silva, a leader of the community.

Fr Sylvester Pereira

Valerian D'Silva

After alighting from Valerian's vehicle they went inside the hospital and were waiting for the doctor.  While Fr Sylvester was sitting with Valerian, Br Joyston and Br John were sitting with Mukund.  As they were waiting for the doctor 3-4 local Hindu leaders led by Ramanna Shetty came and caught Fr Sylvester by his collar.

Without giving any chance to speak, they pulled him down the stairs and pushed him on the ground, and then kicked and assaulted him severely, alleging that the priest was indulging in conversion activities in the area..  When Valerian tried to intervene and asked them not to assault a priest, they left the priest and assaulted Valerian.  As a result Valerian sustained injuries and lost a few of his teeth. On the other hand both Br Joyston and John who tried to save the priest were also assaulted along with the cook.

Br Joyston Saldanha, Br John Pradeep and Mukund Bhandary

Once the people gathered on the spot, the assailants led by Ramanna Shetty put Fr Sylvester, Valerian, Br Joyston and Br John in an autorickshaw and took them to Kundapur police station and tried to file case against them under the pretext that they were caught while trying to convert people.

But Kundapur circle inspector Valentine D'Souza who is known to be a tough and just cop had already received the message about the assault.  So he did not register the case as filed by Ramanna Shetty.  Instead the assailants were made to confess to their crime and later a case was filed against them.

Later Fr Sylvester, Br Joyston, Valerian and Br John were taken to government hospital and from there shifted to Chinmayi Hospital here.

Sources said that there was political pressure on the police not to book case agaisnt the assailants.  But the police remained firm and booked the case.  The matter has been taken seriously by the police and an inquiry has been initiated.

Latest reports reaching Daijiworld office have confirmed that accused Ramanna Shetty has been arrested while the remaining accused Girish, Venkatesh and Subrahmanya are yet to be arrested.  Sources also said that Ramanna Shety is one of the accused in famous Asod case and he has several cases pending against him even in Mumbai.