Opinion Odisha: Priest sentenced to 3 years RI for rape

The priest lured the 13-year-old girl into the temple on December 13,2009 on pretext of puja.

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Rourkela (odisha)December 4, 2011 06:31 PM IST First published on: Dec 4, 2011 at 06:31 PM IST

A local court has sentenced a priest to three year’s rigorous imprisonment for raping a minor girl inside a temple in the steel city two years back.

While delivering the judgement yesterday after examining about 16 witnesses and circumstantial evidence,Additional Sessions Judge,B S Mishra also slapped a fine of Rs.2,000 on the convict.

In case of failure to pay the fine,he would undergo additional one month jail term.

The priest Biranchi Maharana of a local temple,lured the 13-year-old girl into the temple on December 13,2009 on the pretext of puja. He took the girl inside the temple and raped her.

After committing the crime,Biranchi threatened her not to disclose it to anybody.

The parents of the victim lodged a complaint with the police about the incident and the priest was arrested.