A church pastor has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a minor girl at a school he was teaching at, in Shivamogga district of Karnataka, police said on Friday.
Pastor Francis Fernandes is also accused of caste abuse. He has been charged under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act based on a complaint lodged by the girl.
He underwent a medical examination before being present before the first additional district sessions court, which sent him to judicial custody for 14 days.
As tensions run high, protesters from the Banjara community, to which the girl belongs, gathered outside the Kote Police Station demanding justice for the minor victim.
According to the police, the school where the incident took place is affiliated with the pastor’s church.
Critics are questioning the delay in the church’s response, with some suggesting that timely intervention could have averted the police involvement. They also demand the expulsion of the priest from the church.
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In a parallel incident, students from Kodachadri Government First Class College took to the streets in protest against their principal, Anjan Kumar, alleging physical and psychological abuse. The situation escalated further when a video capturing the alleged abuse within the college premises went viral, fueling even more demonstrations against the accused principal.
Responding swiftly to the escalating situation, joint director of the education department, Vishnu Murthy, conducted a thorough inspection of the college. Consequently, Principal Anjan Kumar has been ordered to take compulsory leave pending a comprehensive investigation into the allegations against him.