For encouraging his congregation against the ravaging coronavirus, a Nepalese clergyman, Pastor Keshab Achanya, has been arrested by the police, Morning Star News is reporting.
Achanya, 32, according to the newspaper, was accused of giving false information about COVID-19 saying Christian prayer could heal anybody of the virus.
He was seen a video rebuking the coronavirus while ministering in his church, his wife, Junu, said.
He was consequently arrested in his home in Pokhara, Gandaki Pradesh Province and taken into custody.
Junu said prior to his arrest, at about 8pm, Achanya had received a phone call from a man who requested for prayer for his ailing wife.
“The person wanted to come to our home for prayer, and my husband agreed, provided him the address and asked him to come over so we can pray for his wife,” Junu said.
She added that while they waited, their two-year-old wanted to dance with them to a Christian song.
“We were dancing joyfully when there was a knock on the door. Three male police officers and a female police officer were at the door. They told us that they were also Christians and needed prayers, and that they had called Pastor Achanya and came for prayer.”
Junu said upon coming inside their house, the officers said they were arresting her husband and that he was being charged because of a video circulating in the social media which showed him praying and rebuking coronavirus.
“My husband said, ‘If there was any charge against me, you could have let me know directly, and I would have come to the police station all by myself,’ because our two-year old son and I were panicked,” she said.
“I immediately called two of the brothers from our church who can drive and followed the police’s vehicle. I was afraid that he would be beaten up by police or would be taken to somewhere else. I wanted to ensure that they were taking him to the police station.”
The police accused Achanya of misleading the public citing a video showing him calling coronavirus an evil spirit and rebuking it in the name of Jesus.