Kottayam: Police arrest children's home director for sexually abusing minor girl

The Kottayam police on Thursday arrested a charity home director who was absconding after sexually assaulting a minor girl. 

Joseph Mathew, 60, the director of Aswasa Bhavan which houses the children of prisoners, has been on the run after he was charged under the POCSO Act for sexually abusing a 12-year-old who was a resident of his institution based in Pambady. 

Mathew was arrested from Kuttikanam while returning to Kerala from Tamil Nadu by a special team headed by Kottayam police chief N Ramachandran, according to reports. 

The incident happened in late 2016 and came to light when the girl's school teachers noticed her behaving oddly. The accused had approached the Kerala High Court seeking bail but his plea was denied. 

Aswasa Bhavan has been providing shelter to the children of prisoners for several years now. Mathew began by visiting jails and adopting children of inmates as they are not allowed to stay with parents in jail once they are five years old.

• Sexual abuse
• Kottayam