Karnataka Cleric arrested for alleged rape of minor in mosque

Belagavi (Karnataka), Aug 6 (PTI) A 22-year-old cleric was arrested for allegedly raping a minor girl inside a mosque two years ago here, police said on Wednesday.
    The alleged incident occurred on October 5, 2023, but came to light on August 5, 2025, after a right-wing activist posted about it on social media, including a recorded phone conversation with the girl's parents.
    In the post, the activist claimed that mosque authorities had threatened the girl's father to prevent him from reporting the incident to police or discussing it publicly.
    A senior police officer stated that the Belagavi police's social media monitoring unit noticed the activist's post and initiated an investigation.
    Police located the girl's parents, who confirmed the incident but were reluctant to file a complaint.
    The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) was informed, and based on their complaint, a case was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The accused was subsequently arrested, police added.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)