Mumbai: Monk convicted of molesting 19-year-old woman dies by suicide

A 70-year-old monk, convicted for molesting a 19-year-old woman, died by suicide at a Jain temple in Ghatkopar (East) on Thursday. The deceased, Manhar Muni Desai, left behind a two-page suicide note written in Gujarati, saying that in his dream, his Guru had told him that “his work on this earth was over and he was to return for doing bigger things”.

Earlier this month, the sessions court had upheld a lower court order that had held Desai guilty of molesting a woman and sentenced him to two years in jail. He was to be arrested soon after but due to the pandemic, the sessions court order is yet to reach the lower court, which has to direct the police to arrest a convict.

Senior Inspector Sushil Kamble of Pant Nagar police station said Desai was found hanging from a ceiling fan by one of the helpers at the temple. Desai was taken to Rajawadi hospital at Ghakopar, where he was declared brought dead on arrival. The Pant Nagar police went on to lodge an accidental death report.

“We found a suicide note, which said he had a dream where his Guru asked him to sacrifice the world and join him in the afterlife…Desai said this was why he was committing suicide,” said Kamble. Desai was convicted by a magistrate court for molesting the 19-year-old woman in March 2012 on the pretext of treating her for depression.