Priest accused of sexually harassing minor boys arrested

The Mangaluru police have arrested Siprian Pinto, the priest at St. Vincent Ferrar Church in Valencia in Mangaluru, for alleged aggravated sexual assault on five 14-year-old boys.

Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy said Siprian Pinto was arrested at the house of his relatives. The police will produce him before the magistrate after interrogation and completion of procedures.

In the complaint before the Mangaluru South police on the night of October 15, one of the victims, a 14-year-old boy, said Mr. Pinto gave him a chocolate and said he loved the boy’s smile. He then took the boy to a room in the church and inappropriately touched the rear part of the boy’s body.