Representative image (David McNew/Getty Images)Jammu and Kashmir police arrested a Christian Missionary from Kerala, for illegally operating an orphanage and sexually abusing girls, reports Indian Express.
Twenty children, including eight girls, were rescued and the administration is searching for their parents, said Assistant Commissioner (Revenue) Jitender Mishra.
According to Mishra, following a complaint from a local resident, Kathua Deputy Commissioner Rohit Khajuria had, set up a five-member team from various departments to inspect the orphanage in a densely populated area of Kathua town.
The team operating with the police found that the orphanage was being run by the missionary without permission. On questioning, the organisation claimed to be affiliated with an NGO named Pentecostal Mission. However, the NGO denied having any link with the orphanage, Mishra said.
The team members spoke to the children living there, and they complained of being kept in confinement and threatened by the missionary and his wife. The Missionary was identified to be Antony Paster, he said.
The girls complained of sexual harassment, Mishra said. Antony was subsequently arrested.
An Appeal...
Dear Reader,
As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.
Our business model is you and your subscription. And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.
We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.
Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.