Sambalpur: A 45-year-old priest has been detained by police for allegedly raping an 11-year-old girl inside a temple complex in Jamankira area of Odisha’s Sambalpur district.
Tension prevailed in the area following the incident, which reportedly took place on Sunday.
The shocking incident came to the fore after parents of the minor girl lodged a complaint with the police and demanded justice for their daughter.
As per the girl’s family, the incident took place when the minor accompanied her father to the temple to assist during daily rituals.
The regular priest of the temple was reportedly away during the day, prompting the shrine management to assign another priest to perform the rituals temporarily. The accused priest was serving in this interim role.
The girl had reportedly gone to the temple to help with the rituals and daily offerings. After the noon prayers and lunch, when she was resting in a hall, the priest allegedly took advantage of the situation and sexually assaulted her.
Following the complaint filed by the victim’s family, Jamankira police detained the accused priest and launched a formal investigation. Sources said that a medical examination of the minor has been scheduled, and the suspect is being interrogated for further details.
The incident has triggered outrage in the area with locals demanding stringent punishment for the accused.
