Cops have been posted near the spot where the incident took place

KOLKATA: A temple priest in Behala was arrested on Wednesday on charges of physically abusing a 28-year-old mentally disabled woman - a mother of a schoolgirl - on the temple premises. The priest had reportedly been abusing her for the past two months. On Wednesday, he was caught red-handed by the survivor's sister. The police said the accused was beaten up before he was handed over to them. He had to be taken to a hospital for treatment.

The incident sparked tension and a huge mob gathered in the area. The crowd spilled onto Diamond Harbour Road, disrupting traffic for some time.

It took place in the Old Dog Race Course government quarters estate, located close to Ajanta cinema. The accused was identified as Prashanta Kumar Pathak (38) alias Upendra Pathak, a resident of the Junction area near Taratala-Maheshtala. The Parnasree police registered a rape complaint. "Another case is being registered against those assaulted the accused," said an officer. The survivor stays in a slum near Taratala since her husband abandoned her a few years ago. Her daughter stays with her father in East Midnapore. The survivor's father runs a paan shop in Behala.

According to the police and Anirban Chakraborty, an acquaintance of the survivor who helped her lodge the FIR, the woman had confided in her sister on Wednesday night about the "evil intentions" of Pathak. "There are four priests in the Kali temple located inside the government quarters. The survivor told her sister that the accused bought her cosmetics and asked her not to divulge anything. On Wednesday morning, her sister followed her when she went to take a dip in the local pond. She found Pathak forcing her into a room adjoining the temple. She raised an alarm and locals immediately surrounded the accused," said Chakraborty.

The survivor's sister told the cops that she was at least two months' pregnant and the accused had even asked her to abort the child. Police said they are getting a medical examination done on the survivor.

"We will get the statement of the victim recorded before the magistrate at the earliest," said a police officer.

