Priest arrested on charge of raping minor

The Hindu
October 2, 2016

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/priest-in-shivamogga-arrested-on-charge-of-raping-minor/article9176310.ece

The police has arrested a priest on the charges of raping a 15-year-old girl on the pretext of offering a talisman to help her excel in studies.

The arrested has been identified as Kumar(52), priest of Durga Chowdeshwari temple near Kuvempu Road in the city.

Police said the parents were not happy with the academic performance of the victim and had brought her to the temple seeking solution for the problem. A few days later, the priest had asked the girl to come to the temple to participate in a special puja and collect a talisman from him.

In the complaint, the victim has alleged that the priest took her to his personal room to tie the talisman where he raped her. The man threatened her not to reveal the incident or she would invite the divine wrath on her family, she said.

Based on the complaint lodged by the victim, the police have booked cases under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences(POCSO) Act and under section 376(rape) of the Indian Penal Code.