THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A vicar was arrested by the Neyyar Dam police on Monday for allegedly sexually abusing a minor girl at his official residence. The police identified the arrested as Devarajan, 59, of Vellarada. He was the priest of the CSI Church at Amboori.According to the police, the priest was nabbed from the Karakonam medical college. The incident took place on Sunday after the priest went to the nine-year-old girl’s house and called her to attend a bible-learning session at the church. Subsequently, the priest took her to the official residence and abused her.
The incident came to light when the victim’s father came to the church in the evening searching for his daughter. Later, the priest went to the medical college and admitted the girl to the hospital allegedly to escape from arrest. The Child Welfare Committee members recorded the statement from the kid and a medical examination was also conducted. The priest has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses
Act (POCSO) and remanded to judicial custody for 14 days, the police said.