In the Bharuch district of Gujarat, Pastor Kamlesh Rawal, the vice-principal of St. Xavier’s School has been arrested over allegations of sexual abuse of a minor girl who is currently studying in college after passing class 12th. The alleged sexual abuse against the minor happened when she studied at St. Xavier’s School. After leaving school, the victim’s family went to the police station and lodged a complaint. A case has been registered under relevant sections including POCSO.
The complaint filed by the victim’s parents states that their daughter was abused on two different occasions between the year 2022 and the year 2024. According to the complaint, on both occasions, Pastor Kamlesh called the victim, then a class 10 student, to his office and sexually abused her.
The minor student alleged that the accused called her to his room and molested her. He threatened to expel her from school if she told anyone about this. Due to this, the victim started fearing expulsion from school and loss of reputation and decided to remain silent. The second incident with the victim happened in December 2024.
It is alleged that the former students of this Christian school were invited to a school program. After the program, she was raped again by the accused and was also threatened not to tell anyone. The victim also alleged that Pastor Kamlesh repeatedly sent her WhatsApp messages demanding physical relations with her again, however, the victim got fed up with this.
Eventually, the victim told her family about the incident. The family lodged a complaint at the police station. Based on the complaint, Bharuch B Division Police registered a case against the accused priest under sections 6, 10 and 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) as well as sections 376, 376(2)(N) and 376(3) of the IPC.
After the case came to light, the school transferred the accused to another school, however, the police arrested him from there on 15th January around four days after the complaint was lodged. Meanwhile, the police is checking the accused Pastor’s phone to see if any other student has been subjected to similar abuse.