The church pastor got in touch with the victim when she visited the church for prayers. Pastor raped the victim on multiple occasions.
A 39-year-old pastor in Gujarat's Tapi district has been arrested for raping a 16-year-old girl along with his wife for blackmailing the victim.
The church pastor raped the victim in May last year, and his wife threatened her with dire consequences if she told anyone about the rape. The pastor again raped the victim the next day and told her that money would be deposited in her account if she won't tell anyone about the rape. His wife again threatened she would lose the money, and video would be distributed on social media if the victim told anyone about the rape. The pastor again raped the victim with the help of his wife in the same month.
The incidents happened in May, but the complaint was filed only on Tuesday (December 28). The victim did not approach the police as she feared for her life, and her video would go public if she approached the police. The victim is the daughter of farm labourers and often works with her parents in the field.
This is no isolated incident when churches and pastors are found involved in sexual crimes.
As reported by the Organiser in July last year, the Tamil Nadu police had busted a brothel running inside the church in Kanyakumari district and arrested seven people, including Pastor Rev. Dr Lal N S Shine Singh and four women.
The Federal Church of India was affiliated with the Diocese of Christ Anglican Church of India and was founded by Pastor Rev. Dr. Lal N S Shine Singh, who was also the church president. The church is reportedly one of the largest in the area.
He ran the brothel for a long time. After the police gathered intelligence input on the locals' complaints, the church was raided to arrest the culprits red-handed. The pastor reportedly confessed to running a brothel in the church during the interrogation. One of the arrested sex workers revealed her own mother forced her into prostitution.
In September last year, the Hyderabad police arrested Pastor Joseph for raping a 24-year-old woman on multiple occasions. Pastor Joseph ran a church at Boduppal in Hyderabad and gave preaching programmes on television.
In October 2020, a pastor was arrested for raping a 20-year-old girl. The pastor left the victim bleeding after the assault.
