Bhubaneswar: A Hyderabad Couplefirst trip of Puri Jagannath temple became painful after one Priest He raped his 12-year-old daughter inside the temple premises on Friday evening. Police arrested Sangram Das (27) on Saturday.
The incident took place inside the Bamana temple, which is one of the subsidiary temples inside the huge Jagannath temple complex. There are at least 136 smaller and subsidiary temples inside the famous 12th-century temple at Puri.
Dash allegedly committed the crime when the minor was offering prayers. No other devotees were present at the time of the alleged crime. Her parents were waiting outside the Bamna temple when she ran away screaming.
She narrated her ordeal to her parents, who lodged a complaint at Singhdwar police station outside the temple. Police detained Dash on Friday night and arrested him a day later under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act. The statement of the girl was recorded before the Judicial Magistrate on Friday evening itself.
Puri Superintendent of Police (SP) Kanwar Vishal Singh said that the police have taken the matter very seriously. “All necessary legal action was taken immediately,” Singh said.
Taking strong cognizance of the incident, the Puri Child Welfare Committee (CWC) has written to the district administration and the temple body, asking them to take steps for the safety of women and children in the temple premises.
(The identity of the victim is not disclosed to protect the privacy of the victim as per the directions of the Supreme Court on matters related to sexual harassment)
The incident took place inside the Bamana temple, which is one of the subsidiary temples inside the huge Jagannath temple complex. There are at least 136 smaller and subsidiary temples inside the famous 12th-century temple at Puri.
Dash allegedly committed the crime when the minor was offering prayers. No other devotees were present at the time of the alleged crime. Her parents were waiting outside the Bamna temple when she ran away screaming.
She narrated her ordeal to her parents, who lodged a complaint at Singhdwar police station outside the temple. Police detained Dash on Friday night and arrested him a day later under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act. The statement of the girl was recorded before the Judicial Magistrate on Friday evening itself.
Puri Superintendent of Police (SP) Kanwar Vishal Singh said that the police have taken the matter very seriously. “All necessary legal action was taken immediately,” Singh said.
Taking strong cognizance of the incident, the Puri Child Welfare Committee (CWC) has written to the district administration and the temple body, asking them to take steps for the safety of women and children in the temple premises.
(The identity of the victim is not disclosed to protect the privacy of the victim as per the directions of the Supreme Court on matters related to sexual harassment)
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