A vicar of a local church is absconding after allegedly molesting a 10-year-old girl, who was studying lessons for "Holy Communion", a church ceremony, police said.
The accused identified as Raju Kokkan, Vicar of St.Paul's Catholic Church at Thaikkattussery near here was booked under under IPC section 376 (punishment for rape) and section 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act-2012 following complaints from the parents of the victim.
The vicar had offered her vestments for receiving the Holy Communion free of cost before molesting her. He also took nude photographs of the girl, police said.
