THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The court has sentenced the former priest of Subhash Nagar Krishna Swami Temple to eight years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 35,000 in a case of trying to molest a 10th-class girl who had come to perform archana at the temple. Maniyappan Pillai (55), a native of Kallummudu Lalitabhavan, Balaramapuram and now a resident of Peringammala Karthika Bhawan, was sentenced by POCSO Court Judge MP Shibu.

The child and mother came to the temple for worship before the 10th-class examination. Archana could not be performed as the temple was closed that day. Only the child came to the temple the next day. The priest made the child stay till the other devotees left the temple, saying that he would check her horoscope. The accused then took the child to his room in the temple and tried to molest her. The child screamed in fear and ran away. The incident happened in 2020.

The court accepted the prosecution's contention that the accused who tried to molest the girl who had come to the temple with faith did not deserve pardon. Special Public Prosecutor Kattaikonam JK Ajit Prasad appeared for the prosecution.