Sexual assault of two minor girls ; Christian priest held

JAIPUR: A 52-year-old Christian priest of an orphanage in Tara Nagar locality in Jhotwara was arrested late on Wednesday evening for allegedly raping and harassing two minor girls staying in his hostel. The preist’s arrest was made after one seven-year-old girl narrated about her ill-treatment by the accused at a nearby school and the matter was informed to the police. 

According to the police, nearly 19 girls are inmates of Mercy Home, an orphanage run by the accused at Tara Nagar locality in the city. On Wednesday, a seven-year-old girl told a lady teacher where she was studying that the Father of the hostel in which she stays, identified as Johnson Chacko, has been ill-treating her by touching her private parts and was also doing other indecent things. 

After having a long discussion within the school, finally, the teachers around 6 pm decided to take up the matter and informed the police late in the evening . 

“The lady teacher took the matter seriously and informed about it to the her colleagues. In the evening, they decided to take the matter to us. While we inquired from the girl about the incident, another girl narrated the same plight. And we have registered a case under appropriate sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual offences (POCSO) Act,” said a police officer of Jhotwara. 

Based on the complaint, the police have arrested the Father and have also taken his wife into custody. “Some of the girls also said while they narrated about the ill-treatment to the wife of the accused, she asked them to keep mum since the Father is equivalent of a god,” an officer said. 

On Thursday, the police will record the statement of the other girls in the orphanage to find out more about the case. 

Asked if more girl could have been abused by the accused, a senior police officer, said, “Prima facie it appears that merely two girls have been the target of this harrassementt. Still, we will record statements of the other girls and find out if they too were compelled to bear the indecent advances of the orphanage head,” a senior police officer. said 

Police added that the girls have been abused for a period of almost two years; however, she finally broke the silence and narrated her plight to her teacher. 

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