Morung Express News
Kohima/Dimapur | July 19
An ordained Reverend was arrested by the police in Kohima on accusation of raping a 16 year-old minor girl. The Reverend, who was identified by the police as Kevi Meru (57 years), was arrested on July 18 based on the statement given by the alleged victim to the police.
The victim was a domestic worker, who was staying at a house in Kohima. She allegedly knew the accused, who lured her away from the house of her employer with promise of better remuneration following which she left the house without informing her employer.
According to the Kohima police, a complaint was received on July 8 about a missing 16 year-old girl. The complaint was lodged by her employer and the inquiry that followed led the police to the Reverend.
Initial summons to the accused to appear before the police for questioning in connection to the missing complaint was said to have been ignored. He eventually appeared before the police to reportedly tell the police that he had sent the girl to her home in Mon district.
Based on his statement, the Kohima police said that the girl was brought to Kohima from Mon on July 18. In her statement to the police, she went with the Reverend after she left her employer’s house on July 8.
In the days that followed, she alleged that he raped her three times.
The police said that he was formally arrested based on the allegation. “But he denied the charge against him,” the police said, while adding that he was forwarded to judicial custody pending investigation.
He was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and other relevant IPC sections.
