Nearly five months after assistant parish priest of Our Lady of Health Church in Shirva, Fr Mahesh D’Souza (36), committed suicide, the police arrested Mudarangadi Gram Panchayat president David D’Souza (49).
Based on the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report, Kaup police filed a suo-motu case and arrested David D’Souza. Police sources said that during investigation they discovered that the deceased priest was in contact with David’s wife over phone and David had resented this many a times.
On the night of October 11, 2019, David had threatened to report about Mahesh’s behaviour to the Bishop of Udupi and to the local police station. Thus, David abetted the suicide of the priest. David was remanded in judicial custody until March 11.
Published 27 February 2020, 18:36 IST