Catholic priest arrested for molesting girl

Thrissur (Kerala), May 4 (IANS) A Catholic priest was arrested Sunday after a nine-year-old complained of sexual exploitation, police said.

Raju Kokkan, 44, of the Thrissur Archdiocese was on the run since the last week of April. He was nabbed by a team of police officials near Nagercoil in Tamil Nadu Sunday.

Nagercoil is 70 km from Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital of Kerala.

"He has been arrested and will be presented in court by Monday evening," Thrissur district police chief P. Prakash told IANS.

The priest went into hiding after the girl’s parents complained to the police here.

Kokkan is alleged to have brought the victim a new pair of dress ahead of her first holy communion. The girl complained she was sexually abused and that he also took pictures on his mobile.