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	Attempt to Rape: Priest Gets 5 Years' Imprisonment Chandigarh Newsline [India] February 18, 2006 http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=170307 Panchkula, February 17: ADDITIONAL District and Session Judge Sneh Prashar today sentenced Somnath, a resident of Bhaisa Tibba, Mansa Devi Complex, to five years' imprisonment and charged him with a Rs 12,000 fine in an attempt to rape case. Somnath, a priest at Gugga Marhi (a religious place) in Bhaisa Tibba, tried to rape a minor girl, who is a resident of MDC, on June 27, 2004, in the forest area near the complex. The girl and her mother Basant Kaur were regular visitors to the place. According to the complaint, on June 27, Somanth had told the victim's mother that her prayers would be answered if she performed a special puja and that the prayer could only be held in the forest. He asked the mother and the daughter to accompany him to a nearby forest for the puja. While the girl and Somnath went on his cycle, Basant Kaur followed them on foot. When they reached the forest, Somnath tried to rape the minor, who somehow managed to flee from the forest after hitting Somnath in the head. He was arrested the next day after a case of rape was registered against him. Later, the charge was dropped and replaced by attempt to rape.
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