60-year-old man arrested under POCSO Act on rape charges in Surathkal
Surathkal: A 60-year-old man from Chelairu here was arrested by the Surathkal Police, who had earlier registered a case against him under the POCSO Act following a complaint by a girl alleging that he had raped her.
The arrested man, Sundar Poojari, is accused of raping the girl when she was on her way home through an interior road near Mukka after getting off a bus.
The police stated in their preliminary report that the incident occurred in October. As the girl was in depression following the incident, her mother took her for a medical check-up, during which the girl revealed that she had been raped.
Based on the complaint filed by the girl, the Surathkal Police registered a case against Poojari and initiated further legal action.
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Former principal, rector of St Aloysius College Fr Leo D’Souza SJ passes away
Mangaluru: Former Rector and Principal of St Aloysius College Fr Leo D’Souza SJ passed away at the Father Muller’s Hospital in the city on Tuesday. He was 93.
Born in Mangaluru, he received his early education at the St Aloysius College institutions, with which he was associated all through his life. He also held the posts of principal of the St Aloysius College and rector of the St Aloysius College institutions.
Fr Leo completed his PhD at the Max Planck Society of Germany before establishing the Applied Biology Laboratory at the St Aloysius College (Autonomous) in Mangaluru.
A renowned Jesuit priest, he was world famous for his research work in Botany. Several articles based on his research were also published in international journals.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to higher education and spiritual leadership, Fr Leo was honored with the prestigious Canisius Medal at the International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU) conference held in Bogota, Colombia, in July 2025.
The funeral mass will be held at the Divine Mercy Church at Fatima Retreat House, Mangaluru at 3 pm on Thursday, following which he will be laid to rest at the Jesuit Cemetery in Attavar.
