Rape of minor girl by Christian priest: 5 nuns among 8 booked

March 4, 2017

Kannur, Mar 4: Eight people, including five nuns, have been booked for their role in hiding facts related to the alleged rape of a minor girl by a vicar of a church in the district.

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The in-charge of the private hospital at Kuthuparamba in the district, where the 16-year-old girl gave birth to a boy on February 17, and two others, besides the nuns, have been booked under non-bailable sections of POCSO Act and Juvenile Justice Act, Peravoor Circle Inspector, Sunilkumar, who is the investigating officer in the case, said today.

A report has also been submitted to the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and Kannur district police superintendent against the Chairman and a member of the Child Welfare Committee of Wayanad district for hiding facts in the case, he said.

The report recommends action against them for concealing details of the newborn from the authorities. Based on a complaint lodged by the victim's mother with the Childline that Fr Robin alias Mathew Vadakkancheril had "sexually exploited" her daughter last year, the vicar was arrested on February 28.

He was also removed from office by church authorities. The offence came to light after the girl, a resident of Neendunokki in the district, gave birth to a baby boy at a private hospital in Koothuparamba on February 7.

The 11th standard student was studying in the school in which the accused was also the manager, police said. Robin had attended a public programme on February 25 and left the place the next day, after police lodged a case against him under IPC section 376 (Rape) and the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

He was picked up from Chalakkudy in Thrissur district and brought here.

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News Network
December 19,2025

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.

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