Mangueshi temple priest barred from priestly duties

NT NETWORK

 

PONDA

The priest of the Mangueshi temple Dhananjay Bhave (51), who has been booked for allegedly molesting a Mumbai-based Goan girl, was on Friday barred from priestly duties by the temple committee.

On Friday, police personnel thrice visited the residence of the priest and looked for him several times in the vicinity and the premises of the temple.

But they failed to trace the accused, who is now absconding.

Family members of the priest said that Bhave was last seen on Thursday night with his brother’s scooter at Mangueshi, police sources said.

Ponda police inspector Harish Madkaikar confirmed that the accused is absconding, and that the police are looking out for him.

On Thursday, the mother of the Mumbai-based girl had filed a complaint via email alleging that the priest molested two girls, including her daughter, at

different times in the temple premises.

In both the molestation incidents the molester was the same priest, and the police will now investigate both the cases of molestation, Madkaikar clarified.

After the FIR was filed against Bhave in the molestation case, Shree Manguesh Devasthan committee president Chandranath Dhume issued a press note condemning the molestation allegations,  stating that if at all the incident had  occurred then the guilty should be punished.

In the  press note the temple committee president confirmed that the temple priest has been barred from performing his priestly duties in  the temple.

The Ponda police on Thursday had booked the priest for allegedly molesting the girl in the temple premises during her visit with her parents in June this year.

The offence was registered under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code after a complaint was received via email on Thursday.