A priest at a church in Mangaluru has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act after allegations that he sexually abused minor boys, with police saying they have so far learnt of five alleged victims.
The case was registered against Cyprian Pinto after a Mysuru-based non-governmental organisation brought the allegations to the attention of the Mangaluru Police Commissioner. Police subsequently met the alleged victims and facilitated the filing of a complaint, according to The Indian Express.
A senior police officer told the newspaper that investigators were working to establish the details of the allegations and identify the extent of the alleged abuse. “As of now, we have learnt that five victims were allegedly sexually assaulted. We are making all efforts to ascertain the details,” the officer said.
The complaint alleges that one minor boy was lured with chocolates and subjected to inappropriate remarks before being taken into a room near the church’s sacristy. The priest allegedly sexually assaulted the child there and repeatedly touched the boy’s private parts during later visits to the church, according to the report.
The complaint also refers to an alleged incident on August 14 at around 6.30 pm. It states that a minor who had gone to the church for a prayer-related discussion was taken to a receptionist’s room, where the priest allegedly hugged the child tightly and touched the child inappropriately.
According to the complaint, the boy later discussed the alleged abuse with friends, some of whom reportedly said they had experienced similar inappropriate behaviour by the priest. The child subsequently informed his parents after becoming frightened by what the complaint described as repeated abuse.
The family reportedly approached the head of the Mangaluru Christian Diocese. The complaint alleges that the family was advised to keep the matter confidential before a police complaint was eventually filed. The report does not establish whether any diocesan disciplinary action was taken against the priest.
The allegations are now subject to police investigation, and the case has not been adjudicated by a court. The POCSO Act provides the legal framework for investigating and prosecuting sexual offences against children. Police are continuing efforts to ascertain the identities and accounts of other alleged victims, according to the senior officer quoted by The Indian Express.
The investigation’s next steps, including the recording of statements and any further action against the accused, will determine how the case proceeds.
