Priest arrested on charge of impregnating minor girl in Kerala

Kannur (Kerala), February 28

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A 48-year-old vicar of a church was arrested on charges of sexually exploiting and impregnating a minor girl at Kottiyoor in the district, police said on Tuesday.

Fr Robin Mathew of St Sebastian's Church in Kottiyoor was taken into custody last night and arrested this morning under IPC Section 376 (punishment for rape) and the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, they said.

The alleged offence came to light after the 16-year old girl, a resident of Neendunokki near  Kottiyoor, delivered a baby boy at a private hospital in Koothuparamba on February 7.

Based on information from "ChildLine", police held an inquiry with the girl and her parents.

Initially the girl's father told police that he was responsible for her pregnancy.

However, smelling something amiss police questioned him further when he 'revealed' that it was the vicar who had committed the crime, police said.

Mathew, who went absconding meanwhile, was picked up from Chalakkudy in Thrissur district last night and brought here.

Police also found the baby had been left in an orphanage at Vythiri in Wayanad district and shifted it to a government-run orphanage here yesterday. — PTI