Molested child by mistake: Priest

A priest was arrested at a church in Shivaji Nagar on Wednesday evening for allegedly molesting a 13-year-old boy. He has been booked under Section 377 of IPC and molestation. He was produced at court and the police has been granted his custody till December 5.

A complaint was lodged against the priest on December 1 but the arrest was made on Wednesday as the police were waiting for reports of medical tests conducted on the minor. The accused has been identified as Father Johnson Lawrence (52), the priest-in-charge of Christ The King Church, at Shivaji Nagar. “On Wednesday, after all medical checkup reports of boy turned out to be positive, we arrested the priest,” a police official said.

“During interrogation, father Lawrence he told us that the molestation happened by mistake. He said that his intentions were not wrong and that he has not done any wrong to the child,” said an official from the Shivaji nagar police station. He further added, “The priest was insisting that the boy must have misunderstood his behaviour.”

On November 27, the alleged victim attended the church proceedings in the evening accompanied by his parents. After the prayer mass ended, the victim’s parents met other friends and left the church. The boy was left by himself inside the church.

Having found the boy by himself, father Lawrence approached him under the pretext of needing help with moving some items to the storeroom and sexually assaulted him.

After sexually assaulting him, he allegedly threatened the boy against informing anybody at home. After reaching home, the victim complained of pain in his genitals and revealed the incident to his mother. The parents then approached the police.