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AJMER: A 7-year-old girl was allegedly raped by the priest of Ajmer's Kalichat Temple on Wednesday night. Police said they have registered a case under the provisions of Protection of children from sexual offence Act and arrested the priest.

According to reports, the minor girl had gone to the Kalichat Hanuman Temple , which is located on the Kalyanipura Hills on the outskirts of Ajmer, to gather the family's livestock which was grazing around when Swami Shivanand alias Balwant, 48, allegedly tricked her into the temple. She was then allegedly raped by the priest and left unconscious in a room.

The girl's father, who came looking for her, found the minor in the empty room. The girl narrated her ordeal to her parents after regaining consciousness and the police was informed. "We have arrested the priest and the minor has been moved to a hospital for treatment and medical examination," Ajmer SP Mahendra Singh said.

Local residents said Shivanand, who belonged to Madhya Pradesh and has been the priest of the Kalichat temple for the last 10 years, was a controversial figure. "The temple is located on the top of the hill and people living in hamlets at the foothills avoid going there as it is secluded," said a resident on condition of anonymity.

