Disabled woman alleges rape in Chhattisgarh temple, police arrest priest

The woman said in her complaint that while she was returning from computer class, the priest told her that her mother was working inside the temple. Once she went inside, the accused took her to his room and raped her.

A 24-year-old disabled woman was allegedly raped by a priest on the campus of a temple in Chhattisgarh’s Dhamtari district, police said on Thursday.

India has witnessed a spate in rape cases recently, leading to countrywide protests. (PTI/File Photo)

The accused, identified as Ramashankar Vaishnav (28), was arrested on Thursday in connection with the alleged incident which occurred on April 24, they said.

According to district police officials, the incident occurred when the woman, who has a limp in one of her legs, was returning home in Dhamtari on Tuesday evening after attending a computer class.

The woman alleged in her complaint that Vaishnav told her that her mother was working inside the temple. When she went inside the temple, the priest, who stays on the premises, took her to his room and closed the door after her, police said.

The woman said she fainted due to fear when Vaishnav took her inside his room.

“When she regained consciousness, Vaishnav told her that he had raped her and he would kill her if she discloses the incident to anyone,” a district police official said.

A case under IPC section 376 (punishment for rape) has been registered and further probe is on, police said.

India has seen a spate in rape cases recently with the Kathua case wherein an eight-year-old girl was allegedly confined for many days and gang raped multiple times catching the nation’s attention. Heinous cases have been reported from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha too.