Child abuse: Kollam priest, who escaped police, arrested

Fr Thomas Parakulathil, 32, reportedly gave the police the slip at a church near Kollam on Sunday when they showed up to arrest him, and had been absconding since.

He has now been brought back to Kollam and is being questioned. The boy's parents had approached the Poovar police last week, accusing Fr Parakulathil of molesting the boy back in July.

The parents found out about the abuse months later when the boy refused to go back to Fr Parakulathil again.

The incident comes close on the heels of another child sexual abuse case involving a Catholic priest in Kerala.

Fr Robin Vadakkumcherry, who was the vicar of the local church in Kottiyoor near Kannur, was arrested on February 28 for raping and impregnating a minor girl.

• priest sexual abuse
• child abuse
• kollam