Thiruvananthapuram:: A Christian priest and 21 others were arrested by the police near Ernakulam on Monday after it was found that they had broken Covid protocols and went ahead with church function in Kerala. The incident occurred at the St Joseph Church near Angamaly when a crowd of people much above the allowed numbers gathered on the occasion of the First Holy Communion of a parishioner.

The arrest was done in accordance to the rules and regulations of the violation of lockdown norms.

An official attached to the Chengamanad police station which effected the arrest confirmed that 22 people including priest George Palamatom has  reportedly been arrested and later let off on bail.

The police arrived at the church after getting a complaint that the number of people present is in excess of the 20 allowed for functions at religious places. This is the first arrest that has been made from a religious place in the state this year, while similar arrests had taken place in the first wave of the Covid pandemic last year.

Earlier, on March 23, police in Trichur district in Kerala had arrested Father Paul Padayatti from his Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Koodapuzha village after he officiated a requiem Mass for more than 100 people, violating the prohibitory orders of the state police

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