Priest held for cheating tribal families

The priest, Mani (60) of Andhra Pradesh, constructed a temple for the tribal community in Arul Nagar near Sriperumbudur. He promised the tribal families to arrange government patta for their land and that he would get them government’s free house scheme for the newly married couples if they paid him money. Officials said he collected Rs 8.5 lakh from 85 persons.

After collecting the money, he snapped contact with them. A few days ago, Mani allegedly threatened the families of sending goons and also made them vacate their houses, forcing them to stay on the road margins near Sriperumbudur bus stop.