11-yr-old sodomized, accused absconding

STATE CHILD RIGHTS COMMISSION STANDS UP FOR THE VICTIM, LODGES F.I.R.; COMMISSION ALSO CALLS FOR WIDER AWARENESS ON SUCH THREATS PREYING ON THE YOUNG
GANGTOK, 21 Aug: The Sikkim State Commission for Protection of Child Rights following receipt of a complaint from the parents and teachers of an eleven year old boy sodomised by the priest [AK Pathak] of Krishna Mandir, Dechiling here, filed an FIR with the Sadar Thana and also led a delegation to 758 Border Roads Task Force of the GREF at Dechiling to discuss the matter with the Commandant there. The accused, who has absconded, is reportedly a GREF employee. The Commission was approached on 18 August and the incident transpired on 11 August.
A press release from the Commission informs that on receipt of the complaint, the child was brought to the Commission and during the course of counselling, the child opened up and informed that on Janmashthami [11 August], the pandit asked the child to come to the temple in the evening luring him with an offer of more prasad.
While the child arrived later, he was sodomized by the pandit. The child, traumatized by the incident, did not inform his parents about the incident. It was only when he told his sister that the parents came to know of it, it is learnt.
The release informs that the Commission’s Chairperson, Manita Pradhan, along with other members took suo moto action and filed an FIR against the GREF employee at Sadar Police Station, Gangtok and requested the law enforcing agency to take immediate action as per the law.
Further, the Chairperson along with members Yangchen Ladingpa and Law Officer Yousa Lachenpa visited the place of offence at Dechiling and also met with the Commandant, Col MN Reddy, to discuss the incident. The principal and teachers of the school  where the victim studies also accompanied the Commission members to the meeting.
The Commission has demanded that the accused, AK Pathak, who has absconded, reportedly to his home town Kishanganj in West Bengal, be immediately brought back to Sikkim and punitive action be initiated against him at the earliest.
The release adds, that the Chairperson urged the school management to regularly conduct awareness programmes on such issues and recommended that students should also come forward if any individual makes inappropriate advances and report it to the school authority. The Chairperson added that this was one of the few incidents to have taken place in Sikkim and requested all members of the civil society to report such incidents to the law enforcing agency or the Commission.
The Commission has condemned the incident and requested all schools in the state to take up awareness programmes on such issues.
A case has been registered at Sadar Thana under section 377 IPC which deals with unnatural offences.