Absconding priests accused of sexually harassing minor girl

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Feb 05, 2019: NR Mohalla police Mysuru have registered an F‏IR against three priests of Mangaluru origin under the POCSO act for kidnapping and sexual harassment and abusing the caste of a minor girl. The victim girl was enticed with the offer of a job and financial help to her mother to build a house.

The accused, all residents of Balmatta in the city of Mangaluru, are identified as Sebastian, Joshua Aman and Bennett Aman - said to be CSI pastors. Some media sources seem to say the priests are ’Catholic’ which is unfounded.  The mother of the 16-year-old victim girl alleged in her complaint that the accused had taken the girl in November 2018 on the pretext of providing her a job in a nursing home in Mangaluru.

In addition, they assured a finanical help to the tune of Rs one lac to the mother of the victim, who is building a new house. However, after taking the girl with them, the accused kept her in their house as maid. From mid December of 2018 they sexually harassed the victim girl also. They kept the girl under house arrest and threatened her not to reveal this to any outsiders. She was abused in the name of her religion also.

The mother of the victim girl has filed a complaint in the high court through an NGO. The high court had directed the Mysuru city police commissioner to register a case against the accused and conduct investigation. However, as the incident came to light all the three accused have gone absconding. N R Mohalla police are on the search of the accused and are conducting further investigation.