A 14-year-old girl belonging to Thiruvalla gave birth to a baby boy in Kottayam Medical College on April 25.
Twenty eight-year-old Pradeep alias Aniyan-kunju, neighbour and a temple priest, was arrested by the Thiruvalla police on Wednesday night following the complaint lodged by the victim’s parents.
Thiruvalla police circle inspector Binu Varghese said the victim claimed Pradeep was the father of her baby. He was arrested on the basis of the complaint by the parents and the account of the victim.
However, the accused denied the allegation, he said. Meanwhile, the accused has been remanded by the Thiruvalla first class judicial magistrate’s court on Thursday.
Police has decided to conduct a DNA test. “The victim has agreed to the test. The accused, who is already the father of a child, had been involved in similar cases earlier.
The accused was working as a temple priest in Rajakkad in Idukki district for the last year. He was arrested from Rajakkad.
Venu, the father of the victim, told DC that the symptoms of pregnancy were identified only three months ago.
“Following this, she underwent scanning, in which a pregnancy of seven months was confirmed. We had no clue about the pregnancy until seven months were over.
We consulted with doctors at Thiruvalla taluk hospital but they referred us to Kottayam Medical College,” he said.
Venu, a road worker, and his wife a domestic labourer, used to go to work leaving the child at home. She is a class IX student at the SES government school in Thiruvalla.
The child was a regular visitor to Pradeep’s house as she played with his six-month-old baby during the day. After he used the girl for his sexual gratification, Pradeep, who was working as a carpenter, fled from the area and became a temple priest in Rajakkad.