SHOCKER! 70-year-old priest lures minor girl with sweets, sexually assaults her inside Tamil Nadu temple; arrested after protests

A 70-year-old priest was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl inside a temple in Theni, Tamil Nadu, after her luring her with sweets.

Tamil Nadu rape: A shocking case of pedophilia came to the fore from Theni district in Tamil Nadu where a 70-year-old priest was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl inside a temple after her luring her with sweets. According to the police, the incident took place on Thursday when the accused priest, identified as Thilagar, found some local children playing outside the temple and lured them inside the temple premises on the pretext of offering them sweets.

Thilagar then allegedly sexually assaulted a minor girl from amongst the group of children, reports said, adding that the incident came to light when the girl narrated the harrowing ordeal to her parents, following which locals staged a protest outside the temple, demanding action the accused priest.

“The girl’s family, along with other villagers, staged a protest outside the temple. The priest locked himself inside the temple in fear of an attack from the angry villagers,” a senior police official said, adding that a police team arrived at the scene and arrested the accused.

A case under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been registered against Thilagar based on a complaint filed the minor girl’s father, police said.

The accused priest has been arrested and further investigation in the case is underway, they added.