Christian school clerk held for molestation, activists thrash manager

A few hours after the arrest, a group of activists, reportedly belonging to a right-wing organization, arrived in the school premises. Raising anti-Christianity slogans and accusing the school management of engaging in conversion, they wanted to see the principal.

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When the activists realized that the principal is a woman they turned their focus to Fr Anthony and Fr Thomas.

“They manhandled Fr Anthony. I was saved because I managed to enter a room,” Fr Thomas told The Indian Express. He said the attack took place in the presence of policemen who had been posted after the clerk’s arrest.

ASP (Tikamgarh) Sunil Tiwari said a complaint of assault has been filed against unidentified people. “It’s being said that they belong to the Bajrang Dal but we are yet to establish that. We will soon identify the attackers,” the ASP said.

Fr Thomas said CCTV cameras have captured the incident and the police have reportedly seen the video footage of the attack.

Tiwari said there was no tension on Tuesday but extra policemen have been deployed in the school premises as a precautionary measure. The clerk was booked under Section 354 (outraging modesty) of the IPC and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POSCO).