Women tell tales of abuse by village church pastor to Andhra women's commission chief

After the pastor was exposed by a local TV channel, locals held a public meet along with Rajakumari and police officials.

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A pastor who allegedly sexually exploited young women in Andhra Pradesh's West Godavari district is facing potential arrest after AP Women’s Commission chairperson Nannapaneni Rajakumari visited Jagannadhapuram village on Wednesday.

Following Rajakumari's visit, several women approached her, and narrated tales of how they were sexually exploited by pastor Didde Ebenezer who was running a church in the village.

"He would start by asking us to do simple things like giving him a massage, and then move his way up to more unspeakable actions. He would say that we have to follow whatever he says, or else something evil would befall us, no matter how disgusting his demand is," a victim told media persons.

Another victim alleged that the pastor was organise 'special prayers' and make women stand in the nude, in candle light. They also claimed that four women were under confinement with the pastor at present.

The locals also alleged that the pastor's male relatives also indulged in acts with women in the village.

After the pastor was exposed by a local TV channel, locals held a public meet in the village, along with Rajakumari and police officials.

According to the victims, the pastor was exposed in 2015 and a police case was booked, but he allegedly managed to get the case struck off in a local court due to his influence, Deccan Chronicle reported.

The pastor later shifted his accommodation to Madhuru village to avoid trouble at Jagannadhapuram, the DC report adds.

Rajakumari also reportedly called up West Godavari SP M Ravi Prakash and instructed him to arrest the pastor.

"We will immediately take him into custody, and free the women who are allegedly under confinement. We all had tears in our eyes when we heard the victims speak. This is not a normal incident. He has played with people's life in a holy place like a church. We will prosecute him," Rajakumari told locals, after the public meeting.

West Godavari Joint Collector said, "The allegations are shocking. We will ensure that he loses the title of 'pastor' and take strict action against him. We will find all the people responsible for the incident and assure action against all of them."

Rajakumari said that she would also bring the incident to the notice of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.