Pastor held for alleged human trafficking in Kerala

Apastor of a Perumbavoor-based charitable trust was arrested in connection with alleged trafficking of minor girls, police said on Thursday.

A case was registered and the arrest of Jacob Varghese, pastor of Karunya Charitable Trust in Ernakulam district, was recorded.

He has been remanded to judicial custody, police sources said, adding that the arrest came following the Wednesday midnight incident in which a group of 12 minor girls were detained by the railway protection force here.

RPF Inspector Upendra Kumar said acting on a tip off, the railway protection force officials took 12 girls into custody after questioning them enroute their journey in Okha Express at Calicut Railway Station.

Four adults, two of them claiming to be parents, were also taken into custody. The girls were handed over to the railway police who in turn handed them over to the Child Welfare Committee, he added.