Mangaluru: POCSO Case Registered Against Church Priest
According to the FIR, the boy had visited the church for prayers when the priest allegedly befriended him by offering him chocolates and complimenting him. The priest allegedly spoke nicely to the boy and took him to a room and touched him inappropriately
Mangaluru: A priest of a Church in Mangaluru has been booked under POCSO for allegedly sexually harassing minor boys over a period of time.
Mangaluru South police registered a case against the priest on October 15 under Sections 8 and 10 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Section 75(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to the FIR, the boy had visited the church for prayers when the priest allegedly befriended him by offering him chocolates and complimenting him. The priest allegedly spoke nicely to the boy and took him to a room and touched him inappropriately.
The complaint further alleges that the priest repeatedly sexually harassed the boy during subsequent visits to the church. The FIR alleges that the priest sexually harassed the boy at the church on August 14.
The boy later spoke to his friends about the alleged harassment and learnt that they too had allegedly faced similar treatment from the priest, the FIR states.
The boy informed his parents, who approached the Bishop and brought the matter to his notice. On the advice of Bishop a complaint was filed, according to the FIR. Investigation is in progress.