Reacting to the arrest of a Kannur priest for allegedly raping and impregnating a 16-year-old girl, former Defense Minister and senior Congress leader, AK Antony, said that Kerala could not be called God’s Own Country anymore. Anthony also called the crime unforgivable, and called for stringent punishment for the accused.
“It’s a heinous act. It’s a crime that does not deserve forgiveness. Our police should ensure that he is rightly punished. We can’t call our Kerala ‘God’s Own Country’ anymore,” Antony told reporters in Kozikhode on Sunday.
Read: Exclusive: Kerala Catholic body’s bizarre justification, says consumerism led to rape by priest
“In such cases, the religious or the political background of the accused should not be taken into consideration. It’s a shame to say, that he’s a priest. No accused should be given the consideration that he’s a priest. He should be treated as a hardcore criminal,” Antony added.
The 16-year-old victim, a student of the school associated with a church in Kottiyoor, had delivered a baby on February 7. However, the accused priest, Father Robin was arrested only on February 27.
Initially, police had arrested the biological father of the victim after the victim told ChildLine officials that it was her father who had raped her.
However, during interrogation, the police found inconsistencies in the statements made by the victim and the victim’s biological father.
It was only after further questioning that the family of the victim named the priest.
Police said the priest had allegedly raped the girl multiple times in his room, when she visited the church for prayer mass. The police also suspect that Father Robin pressurised the family into hiding the crime.