David was introduced to a certain Kaundal family living in the Swaminagar slums of Ambernath (W) by local corporator Meenaxi Selvaraj (JD), said Jamuna Kaundal. The priest, said the complainant, had been brought in to treat Jamuna's brother Krishna, who used to get violent fits.

The family had taken Krishna to many sadhus in an effort to cure him but when nothing worked, his mother contacted Selvaraj, a family friend, who then got in touch with David.

``Meenaxi aunty claimed he was good at exorcism,'' recounted Jamuna. The priest, who's well-known in the area as he had been operating from Ambernath till a year ago, came to their house on February 2. He began by asking the entire family to drink holy water which he made. ``He would prick his fingerswith a needle and let out blood from his fingers into a glass of water, which he would make us drink. He would then keep his hands on our heads and chant in Marathi, `In the name of the father and the son and the holy ghost.'''

This Sunday, the Kaundals' brother-in-law, Selvam, who had come to visit them, had an argument with the priest when the latter insisted he wipe off the vermillion mark on his forehead before entering the house. ``When I forced myself into the house, I found all the portraits of gods and goddesses, and also that of my father-in-law, had been pulled off the walls and tied into a bundle,'' Selvam said. The priest then took the bundle outside and lit a bonfire despite Selvam's protests. ``I'm burning all the evil spirits in your house,'' David said. An angry crowd of neighbours informed by Selvam then gave the priest a sound thrashing before he took refuge in the JD corporator's home.

A police complaint was then lodged and David was arrested.

When this reporter met him he smilinglysaid, ``I was only doing God's work, nobody understands.'' He admitted to burning portraits of gods and goddesses. ``I was exorcising evil spirits,'' he said.

PSI Vikram Pawar said: ``David has been held for burning portraits of gods in front of the crowd. It (the act) could have created a dangerous law and order problem.''