A case of rape by a temple priest has come to the fore in the Laxmangarh tehsil of the Sikar district of Rajasthan. A college student has accused the Kshetrapal temple priest of sexually assaulting her after drugging her. In her complaint to the police, the victim stated that the priest and his driver threatened to kill her family if she told anyone about the rape.
'Fainted' After Eating Sweets
In her complaint, the girl from Laxmangarh tehsil told the police that a few months ago, she had gone to the Kshetrapal temple to pray. There, she met a man named Rajesh, who introduced her to Baba Balaknath. The priest gave her some sweets (prasad) and "blessed" her.
Rajesh and Baba Balaknath would invite her to the temple regularly. Rajesh even took her mobile number. They gained her trust this way.
On April 12, she went to a college on Jhunjhunu-Jaipur bypass to appear for an exam. She was standing outside the college when Baba Balaknath saw her and offered her a ride in his car, saying he would drop her off in her village, reported news website News18 Hindi. She agreed and got into his car.
On the way, the accused gave her some sweets to eat, saying this would eliminate all her troubles. However, after consuming them, she lost fainted. During this time, the priest raped her thrice. The victim said that she could not resist much because of the weakness caused by the laced sweets. When she screamed, the Baba shut her mouth.
'Driver Recorded Act'
According to the victim's complaint, the driver of Baba Balaknath’s car, Yogesh, recorded the rape on video. Later, Baba Balaknath and his associate threatened her regularly, demanding that she continue meeting them. They also threatened to leak the video. Troubled by these threats, the woman finally approached the police to report the incident.
The Udyog Nagar police have launched an investigation into the matter.
(With inputs from Govind, ABP News.)