Goa Police has registered a case of outraging the modesty of a woman against a Mangueshi temple priest, earlier accused by a US medical student of a similar offence, following a complaint by another woman based in Mumbai.
In the First Information Report (FIR) registered at the Ponda police station in South Goa late Monday evening, the woman accused priest Dhananjay Bhave of trying to kiss her near the sanctum.
"I touched his feet. Before I could stand up, he grabbed me by my shoulders and pulled me towards him... before I could even understand what he was trying to do, he tried to kiss me, and managed to kiss my on the cheek," read the FIR registered under Section 354 (outraging modesty) of the Indian Penal Code says.
Last week, a US-based medical student who is a Goa native, had filed a FIR against the priest who has moved the Ponda Additional District and Sessions court. The Shree Manguesh Devasthan committee has already suspended him.
Bhave has pleaded before the court that the medical student filed the complaint against him because he refused to allow the unmarried woman to enter the sanctum of the temple as per rules framed by its management. The temple is about 35 km from Panaji.
The court will hear his plea for interim bail on Wednesday, whereas police is expected to urge the court for custodial interrogation.
The Mangueshi temple, home to Lord Manguesh who is considered an incarnation of Lord Shiva, is one of the most visited temples in the state by tourists and locals alike. Several influential Gaud Saraswat Brahmin clans are followers of the deity.
--IANS
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