61-year-old priest arrested for raping minor in Karnataka
A 61-year-old priest was arrested for allegedly raping a 10-year-old girl at his daughter’s home, located within temple premises, Bengaluru Police said on Thursday.
According to the police, the accused has been identified as Venkataramanappa, a resident of Chikkaballapura, who was looking after the temple in the absence of his son-in-law.
On Tuesday evening, Venkataramanappa saw the girl playing outside the temple and allegedly lured her by promising to give sweets. He took her to his daughter’s house, which is adjacent to the temple, and raped her, C K Baba, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast), said.
After she did not return home till evening, the girl’s mother began to make enquires in the neighborhood. “After asking about her daughter around the temple, a vendor who sells flowers in front of the temple told the mother that he saw the girl going to the priest’s house,” C K Baba added.
The mother along with neighbors went to the priest’s house and found the girl crying outside. They immediately informed the police after she narrated the incident to her mother.
“Based on CCTV camera footage in the temple premises, medical report and the flower vendor’s statement Venkataramanappa was arrested on Wednesday and booked under various sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and also under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code,” CK Baba said.
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Remarks against St Francis Xavier: Right-wing speaker Gautam Khattar gets bail
Panaji (PTI): A court in Goa on Saturday granted bail to right-wing speaker Gautam Khattar, who was arrested after he allegedly made derogatory comments against St Francis Xavier.
Judicial Magistrate First Class, Vasco, granted regular bail to Khattar, currently admitted to Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim for treatment of chest pain after he was shifted from the District Hospital in Mapusa two days back.
A row erupted after a video of remarks by Khattar, the founder of Sanatan Mahasangh, at an event on April 18 in the presence of Swami Brahmeshanand, State Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho and BJP MLAs Sankulp Amonkar and Daji (Krishna) Salkar, went viral.
St Francis Xavier is revered as the patron saint of Goa.
The controversial remarks led to the Vasco Police registering an FIR against Khattar on charges of hurting religious sentiments and creating enmity between groups.
He was detained in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, by local police. His custody was later handed over to the Goa Crime Branch, according to officials.
