A priest in Meghalaya’s East Garo Hills district accused of molesting a 14-year-old girl has reportedly been absconding.
Members of the minor’s family had lodged an FIR against Father James Paranathu after he allegedly groped her while her parents had gone to work in their paddy fields nearby.
The parents found the girl crying when they returned home. They said they filed the police complaint four days after the incident as they did not know how to go about it initially. According to the girl’s statement, the priest had hugged her before starting to grope her. He had also allegedly given her money to keep her mouth shut.
