Thiruvananthapuram: A priest of the Protestant Church of South India was arrested on October 9 for allegedly sexually abusing a 10-year-old school girl inside a church, police said.
The crime took place a day earlier when the victim had gone to the church for taking Bible lessons, they said.
The accused, Fr Devaraj of Kandanthitta CSI church, near Thiruvananthapuram, was produced before a magistrate later in the evening, india.com reported.
A case under POCSO (Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences) Act and section 376 of IPC (rape) has been registered against the65-year-old priest, police said.
The girl’s father alleged that he saw his daughter being abused by the accused when he came to pick her up, and immediately informed the police.
The accused has been functioning as the priest in the church since the past one year, police added.
The CSI pastors are allowed to marry.