BHUBANESWAR: A 24-year-old priest of Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, was arrested Wednesday for allegedly sexually harassing a 28-year-old Swedish tourist outside the shrine earlier in the week.
The accused, Kundan Mahapatra, was booked under IPC sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 354-A (sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment).He was sent to judicial custody after his bail plea was rejected.
Police sources claimed Mahapatra is a habitual offender, who was arrested on July 9, 2023, for allegedly molesting and extorting money from a domestic tourist near the temple. He was recently released on bail.
In her complaint, the Swedish tourist alleged that while she was clicking pictures outside Lingaraj Temple on Monday evening, Mahapatra approached her and offered to be her guide. Since the temple is off-limits to non-Hindus, Mahapatra took her to a watch tower outside the temple from where she could view the shrine.
Mahapatra then took the woman to a small temple near the shrine and asked her to close her eyes and pray. While she was praying, he allegedly touched her inappropriately. “When she resisted, he hurled abuses at her, sexually harassed her and tried to outrage her modesty,” said a police officer.
The Swedish woman, who was visiting Odisha for the first time, filed a complaint at Lingaraj police station. Cops examined CCTV footage from around the temple and identified the accused. “We took the matter seriously as it involved the safety of a foreign tourist. Mahapatra was on the run. Raids were conducted at different places and he was arrested,” DCP Prateek Singh said.
The temple administration did not respond to a query as to why no action was taken against Mahapatra after he was arrested on similar charges in July last year. DCP Singh said the temple management will be urged to suspend Mahapatra from rendering services at the temple. “We are committed to the safety and security of tourists. We will hold a meeting with the associations of servitors and sensitise them on how to deal with visitors,” he added.
The accused, Kundan Mahapatra, was booked under IPC sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 354-A (sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment).He was sent to judicial custody after his bail plea was rejected.
Police sources claimed Mahapatra is a habitual offender, who was arrested on July 9, 2023, for allegedly molesting and extorting money from a domestic tourist near the temple. He was recently released on bail.
In her complaint, the Swedish tourist alleged that while she was clicking pictures outside Lingaraj Temple on Monday evening, Mahapatra approached her and offered to be her guide. Since the temple is off-limits to non-Hindus, Mahapatra took her to a watch tower outside the temple from where she could view the shrine.
Mahapatra then took the woman to a small temple near the shrine and asked her to close her eyes and pray. While she was praying, he allegedly touched her inappropriately. “When she resisted, he hurled abuses at her, sexually harassed her and tried to outrage her modesty,” said a police officer.
The Swedish woman, who was visiting Odisha for the first time, filed a complaint at Lingaraj police station. Cops examined CCTV footage from around the temple and identified the accused. “We took the matter seriously as it involved the safety of a foreign tourist. Mahapatra was on the run. Raids were conducted at different places and he was arrested,” DCP Prateek Singh said.
The temple administration did not respond to a query as to why no action was taken against Mahapatra after he was arrested on similar charges in July last year. DCP Singh said the temple management will be urged to suspend Mahapatra from rendering services at the temple. “We are committed to the safety and security of tourists. We will hold a meeting with the associations of servitors and sensitise them on how to deal with visitors,” he added.