Priest booked in Mangaluru for sexually assaulting five minor boys

Mangaluru city police have booked Siprian Pinto, a priest at St. Vincent Ferrar Church at Valencia, on the charge of aggravated sexual assault on five 14-year-old boys.

In a complaint filed at the Mangaluru South police station on October 15, one of the children claimed that Pinto gave him a chocolate and said he loved the boy’s smile. Pinto allegedly took the boy to a room in the church premises and inappropriately touched the rear parts of his body.

On subsequent visits to the church for prayers, Pinto allegedly touched the private parts of the boy. On August 14 evening, Pinto allegedly called the boy to the room of the receptionist where he hugged him and inappropriately put his hands inside his undergarments. The boy claims to have shared these details with four of his friends, who also claimed to have experienced the same.

The boy claimed to have shared the details with his parents who approached the Bishop of Mangaluru and informed him about the alleged incidents. The Bishop advised the boy to file a police complaint.

The boy and his parents met Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy on October 16 before filing a complaint at Mangaluru South Police Station. The complaint was registered for offences under Sections 8 (sexual assault) and 9 (aggravated sexual assault) of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and Section 75(2) (sexual harassment) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The police have launched an investigation.