Temple priest in rounded up for sexual assault on minor servitor
By Our Correspondent
Puri, Dec. 10: A senior servitor of Srimandir in Puri was on Friday arrested on the allegation of sexually assaulting a minor priest within the temple premises. The senior servitor, identified as Laxmi Khuntia, has been booked and arrested under Sections 294, 377, 506 and POCSO Act.
Earlier in the day, the Singhadwara police station had registered a First Information Report (FIR) and launched an investigation based on the complaints made by the minor boy’s father.
As alleged by the minor victim’s father, the senior servitor had been molesting his son for several days. The servitor at Goddess Laxmi temple had first sexually assaulted his son around two months back when the latter was at Bhubaneswari temple, the complaint states.
When the minor boy protested, the senior servitor threatened him with dire consequences if he revealed anything about the incident. Moreover, the senior servitor had also warned him not to allow him to enter the premises of the shrine if he ever opened his mouth.
The victim’s father has also lodged written complaints about the shameful incident with the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), the association of servitors (niyog), besides the police.
“We have registered a case based on the allegation by the father of the victim. We have launched a probe to collect more relevant information in connection with the case,” said Mihir Kumar Panda, Additional Superintendent of Police (ADSP), Puri.
