Priest arrested after woman alleges rape in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur

Jagatsinghpur: In a shocking incident, police have arrested a temple priest after a woman alleged that he attempted to rape her in Jagatsinghpur district here today. The accused was identified as Samir Roul, a priest at Maa Sarala temple, a famous Shakti shrine in the district, and the victim Pratima Swain of Bansa village within Jagatsinghpur police limits.

As per reports, Pratima had approached the priest to do a puja for her son’s healing. They had agreed on a date. However, the accused reached her home the previous night. He allegedly asked her to stay alone in the room for the puja and then attempted to rape her during the rituals. Hearing her screams, family members and villagers reached the spot and detained the priest who was later handed over to the police.

While a case was registered by Pratima, the accused priest’s wife also filed a counter complaint, dismissing the allegations as fake.

Speaking to mediapersons, the victim shared that her son has a heart problem and she knew the sevayat (priest) since a long time as she used to visit the temple every Sankranti. After her son’s surgery, she had visited the temple this month when the priest reportedly spoke to her harshly while discussing various problems in her life and assured to help her out on the condition that she did not share anything with her husband.

“Kulu Nana (the accused priest) reached my house late in the night yesterday around 9 pm and said there’s an evil presence in the house. He urged me to stay in the room alone while asking my children and in-laws to leave. While he started taking out the deity’s photo and other puja items, I noticed that there was a condom, a perfume and other stuff in his bag. He locked the room, asked me to sit and suddenly he started touching me inappropriately. When I questioned him, he threatened to leave. Then he asked me to lie down and suddenly lifted my clothes, I pushed him and escaped. I shared the ordeal with my family and reached out to police. What’s devastating is that he was doing all this in the name of Maa Sarala as I had faith in her. I used to touch his feet out of respect and this is what he did,” she claimed. “This is not all. Police has also detained my husband after I spoke up. Is this the consequence of speaking up against all this being done in the name of God?” she asked.

On the other hand, wife of the accused priest said,””My husband has been framed.  The woman summoned my husband on the false pretext of doing a puja and kept various stuff in his bag to frame him. She called him to her bedroom and tied him up and even demanded Rs 5 lakh ransom from me else they will kill my husband. I informed this to my brother in-law and all this has been recorded. I know my husband. This is a blatant lie. I want justice,” she told mediapersons.

While police has arrested the priest, the husband of the victim has also been detained for interrogation basing on the complaint of the wife of the accused. Further investigation is on, official sources informed.