Vittal : A priest of a church at Peruvai near Vitla has been accused of hitting a three-year-old child with a stick. According to Renni D’Souza from Childline, a call was received by the Childline personnel informing of the incident on Thursday evening. The Childline personnel went to Peruvai on Friday and saw the child. They found wounds on the back, hands and legs of the child. The child informed the personnel that he was hit after he failed to repeat the hymns.

Mr. D’Souza said, though the parents were angry with the conduct of the priest, they did not file any compliant following pressure from the community members. Childline personnel’s attempts to meet the priest failed.

Mr. D’Souza said a report about the incident will be placed before the District Child Protection Unit. They will also meet the Mangaluru Bishop Aloysius Paul D’Souza and express the need to create a child-friendly atmosphere in churches. Mangalore Diocese PRO Walter Menezes said the incident was yet to be reported to the Bishop.