Fr Edwin Figarez was also slapped with a fine of Rs 2,15,000.
His brother was sentenced to one year on charges of helping the priest go into hiding.
According to prosecution, Fr Figarez exploited the minor girl, who was also a member of the same parish which the priest served as the Vicar.
In April last year, girl's mother complained to the police following which the priest went into hiding and was arrested later.
Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.
The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.
The Breaking Point
The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.
"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.
The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision
DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:
• Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.
• STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.
• Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.
Mangaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old NRI on his return from Saudi Arabia in connection with an Instagram post allegedly containing derogatory and provocative remarks about the Hindu religion, officials said on Monday.
The accused, Abdul Khader Nehad, a resident of Ulaibettu in Mangaluru, was working in Saudi Arabia when the post was uploaded, police said.
A suo motu case was registered at the Bajpe police station on October 11 after an allegedly offensive post circulated from the Instagram account ‘team_sdpi_2025’. Police said the content was flagged for being provocative and derogatory in nature.
During the investigation, technical analysis traced the Instagram post to Nehad, who was residing abroad at the time, a senior police officer said. Based on these findings, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him.
On December 14, Nehad arrived from Saudi Arabia at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, where he was taken into custody on arrival. Police said further investigation is underway.
Mangaluru: Public transport in Mangaluru is set for a state-led transformation as the government moves to deploy 100 new electric govt buses to replace unreliable private services. The initiative aims to provide a dependable alternative to private operators who have been frequently "cutting trips," leaving thousands of commuters stranded.
The announcement was made by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV during a public phone-in session. The move specifically targets routes where private bus service has become erratic, ensuring that citizens no longer have to rely on a fluctuating private sector for their daily commute.
Restoring the Govt Presence
The transport crisis was brought to the forefront by Ramayya, a resident of Bajal, who highlighted a growing trend of private buses skipping morning and night trips. With the previous KSRTC (govt) services discontinued, residents have been left without a fallback option.
To fix this, the DC confirmed that the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme will bring 100 government-owned electric buses to the city:
• Phased Deployment: The first 50 of the new 100 government buses are scheduled to arrive by March 2026.
• State Infrastructure: Two new government depots, including one at Mudipu, are being prepared for operations.
• Recruitment: The state has already begun training a new batch of government bus drivers to ensure the fleet is operational the moment it arrives.
Comments
@Fairman....be fair....How many of you are true muslims? not a single one i guess...
What could be the reason to happen such a big crime by such a big scholar /Priest.
The answer is very simple. Why it is happening, because these priests do not have means to quench their urge and desire for sex.
The sex is in every matured man and women. The God has created it. This is natural. And the God has also provided the solution how to meet it. That is by means of marriage.
These priests can be seen in every man made religion and every man modified religion. They went against the God's decree by their own concept of doing extra unwarranted and undoable sacrifice.
This is not the misguide of God, this is the misunderstanding and malpractice of people who invented their own way of appeasing God.
Ultimately they end up with such crime.
Islam condemns, and it is not supporting for refraining from marriage. We have big priests in Islam, they have wife, family, children.
Discover the God's true teaching and follow it.
Remember Islam not just for Arabs nor for Muslims.
It cam as light and guidance for all human being in this world.
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