Goa priest charged with child abuse

The Goa police has filed a case of child abuse and molestation against a parish priest of Ribander village near Panaji, about eight months a...

The Goa police has filed a case of child abuse and molestation against a parish priest of Ribander village near Panaji, about eight months after the incident, following a complaint from a women’s group chief on behalf of the 13-year-old Catholic girl.

This is the first time the Goa police has initiated action against a Catholic priest in the face of pressure from the villagers who backed him. They are also said to have pressured the molested child and her mother to deny the involvement of the priest in the matter. The villagers had organised a morcha to force the victim to withdraw the complaint.

A case has been registered under Section 354 of the IPC and Section 8 of the specially formulated Children’s Act for Sexual Harassment and Child Abuse and Molestation.

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The matter came to light after social activist Aires Rodrigues, in a written complaint to Archbishop Filip Nerie Rodrigues, demanded action against the priest.

The incident took place in December last year but the Archbishop’s office refused to take note of the complaint. Rodrigues then approached the media and filed a written complaint with the DGP. Taking cognisance, the chief of Bailancho Ekvott, a women’s organisation, Auda Viegas, also approached the victim’s family. Viegas then filed the complaint with the police.

SP (North Goa) Arvind Gawas yesterday deputed an ASI to verify the complaint. ‘‘The victim confirmed the incident and this was converted into a complaint,’’ the SP said. Gawas added that the case has now been handed over to the Crime Branch. ‘‘We are now collecting more evidence to file a foolproof case against the accused so that the case withstands the rigours of legal scrutiny,’’ the SP said.

Rodrigues says such incidents have happened in the past but victims have not come forward to report the matter. ‘‘This has only emboldened the perpetrators of the crime,’’ he said. ‘‘I met the Archbishop again on August 11 to pursue the case. After exhausting all avenues, the victim’s mother finally approached the police.’’

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