Dhenkanal: Odisha Police Saturday arrested the head priest of an ashram on charges of raping a 35-year-old woman inmate, officials said.
The alleged incident took place at Mathakargola Ashram under Kamakshyanagar police station in Dhenkanal district, police said.
According to police, a woman inmate of the ‘ashram’ alleged that chief priest Madhu Mangal Das alias Madan Mohan Parida (47) raped her while she was sleeping in a room on the ashram’s premises August 4.
The survivor in her FIR also alleged that the chief priest also abused her when she objected to his move.
Das was arrested on charges of rape and produced before the court which sent him to jail for 14 days, said Suryamani Pradhan, the additional SP of Dhenkanal district.
Das, while being taken to judicial custody, pleaded innocence and alleged that he was framed by some people.
Other ashram inmates said the woman was initially engaged in worshipping the deity and maintaining the temple. However, the chief priest later reassigned her to duties in the ashram’s dining hall. Following this, the woman alleged that he se*ually abused her forcibly in the ashram.
PTI