Priest Arrested for Molesting Woman Devotee

Times of India
January 10, 2013

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Priest-arrested-for-molesting-woman-devotee/articleshow/17975218.cms

JAIPUR: A 68-year-old priest of a temple was arrested for allegedly molesting a woman devotee on Thursday morning. People at the temple located in Mahesh Nagar beat the priest black and blue after they came to know that he had grabbed a woman and did a few indecent things. Initially, the priest was booked for disturbing peace but was later arrested on charges of outraging the modesty of a woman.

According to the police, the 24-year-old victim had gone to the temple on Thursday morning. She was taken aback when the accused identified as Ram Naresh Das (68) grabbed her and touched her private parts. This was done while the victim woman was taking a round of the temple's premises during worshipping. Soon after, the woman raised an alarm and shouted for help. Other devotees then came to her help and pushed away the priest.

"He was pushed away and many devotees came to help the woman. Thereafter, the devotees also thrashed him. Some of the devotees also informed us. Initially, he was booked for disturbing peace. But when the victim lodged an official complaint stating that she was molested by the accused, we have arrested him on the charges of outraging the modesty of a woman under Section 354 of the IPC," a senior officer of the Mahesh Nagar police station said.

The woman in the FIR stated that the accused grabbed her and also outraged her modesty.

Police said the accused hails from Bihar and was residing on the temple premises for the last couple of months. Hundreds of onlookers gathered on the temple premises and urged police to take a strict action against the accused.