Andhra Police Arrest Fr Jerry Sequeira in Mangalore
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje 
Daijiworld Media Network—Mangalore (RS/CN)

Mangalore, Jul 21:  A drama unfolded after a team of policemen from Andhra Pradesh, who had been in the city to make an arrest, were accosted by some local youths on Monday evening, July 20.  

The four policemen had arrested Fr Jerry Sequeira, founder, Divine Call Centre at Mulky, based on a complaint lodged against him in a women’s police station in Hyderabad by a woman. 

The police from Hyderabad had arrested the accused from his residence after informing their counterparts at Mulky police station.
The group of youths got the impression that this was an attempted kidnap and tried to get Fr Sequeira released by confronting the Andhra police while they were taking a tea break at a hotel while escorting the accused to Hyderabad. 

The Andhra policemen explained to the youngsters in Telugu that the arrest was legitimate and based on a complaint. But the youths began alleging that it is a kidnapping. 

They tried to take away Fr Sequeira and a quarrel broke out. Later, the Andhra police called in the local police as a crowd gathered.   

Kadri police took into custody two people from Mulky who were involved in the incident. 

Shivaprasad, sub-inspector, Kadri police station, said that the whole incident was a result of a misunderstanding arising from rumours of the arrest and language problems as the Andhra policemen spoke only in Telugu which the youth could not understand. 

He said that the confusion was cleared after they were taken to the police station.  

After the issue was resolved, the Andra Pradesh police left for Hyderabad with the accused.