Karnataka: Priest arrested for sexually abusing minor girl in Shivamogga

Shivamogga (Karnataka) [India]: A church priest was arrested in Karnataka’s Shivamogga district for allegedly abusing a minor at a college in which he was teaching, police said on Friday.

According to the Shivamogga police, the accused church priest was caught on the basis of a complaint lodged against him in an alleged case of sexual harassment of a minor in the church-affiliated college where he taught.

Officials said that Father Francis Fernandes, a church priest booked under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for sexually abusing a minor at the college he was teaching at, which is affiliated with the church.

“The Father was produced before the court and sent for 14 days of judicial custody,” officials said.

After the incident came to light, members of the Banjara community protested outside the Shivamogga police station against the church priest for allegedly assaulting a minor belonging to their community.

Earlier in April this year, a church priest was arrested for allegedly molesting a 15-year-old girl in Kerala’s Muvattupuzha.

According to police, the accused, identified as Shemavoon Ramba, a native of Pathanamthitta and aged 77 years, was arrested for allegedly molesting a 15-year-old girl in Muvattupuzha. The priest was removed from official duties after the alleged incident. The priest was booked under the POCSO Act, the police said.