He was known to the victim's family. When the minor's parents had stepped out for work, he allegedly entered the house and sexually assaulted the girl, an official said
The accused was arrested after the child narrated the ordeal to her parents. Representational Pic/File/iStock
A priest was arrested in Dombivli area of Thane district in Maharashtra for allegedly sexually assaulting a 5-year-old girl, a police official said, reported the PTI.
According to a Tilaknagar police station official, the suspect used to visit homes of the people to perform rituals.
"He was known to the victim's family. When the minor's parents had stepped out for work, he allegedly entered the house and sexually assaulted the girl. He was arrested after the child narrated the ordeal to her parents, who lodged a complaint," he said, according to the PTI.
The accused was booked under relevant sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the official informed.
Palghar Zilla Parishad staffer booked for molesting teenage girl
Meanwhile, in an another incident, a 45-year-old employee from the Palghar Zilla Parishad in Maharashtra has been booked for allegedly molesting a minor girl under the pretext of providing information about a scholarship programme, police said on Friday, as per the PTI.
The 17-year-old girl had visited the education department of the Zilla Parishad office on April 1 along with her sister. During the interaction, an official allegedly touched her inappropriately while pretending to provide scholarship details, reported the PTI.
Girl resisted the molestation
The girl resisted the advances and reportedly slapped the accused before rushing to the Palghar police station to lodge a formal complaint, an official said.
A case has been registered against the accused under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he said.
Inquiry to be launched into the incident
According to the PTI, Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Manoj Ranade promised an inquiry into the alleged incident. "The said employee is known to be a good worker, and it is difficult to believe such an incident took place. We are awaiting a report from the police," Ranade told reporters.
The CEO said the administration would not shield the accused if found guilty.
"We have a Vishaka Committee (to handle sexual harassment at the workplace), which will look into the matter. We will also carry out an internal probe. If any wrongdoing is established, strict action will definitely be taken," he said, the news agency reported.
(with PTI inputs)
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