Temple priest arrested for attempting to rape girl in UP's Saharanpur

A 48-year-old temple priest was arrested for allegedly molesting and attempting to rape a 10-year-old girl in a village, sparking protests and a heavy police presence.

A temple priest was arrested for allegedly molesting and attempting to rape a 10-year-old girl in a village here, police said on Saturday.

The incident that occurred in the Dehat Kotwali police station on Friday.

Station House Officer (SHO) Hriday Narayan Singh said a woman filed a complaint on Friday evening alleging that her daughter was playing with other children inside a temple when its priest molested and attempted to rape her.

Hearing the girl's cries, locals rushed to the spot and rescued her, he said, adding the 48-year-old accused has been arrested.

As the victim belongs to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community, Bhim Army functionaries staged a protest outside the police station, demanding strict action against the accused, the SHO said.

Members of some Hindu outfits also arrived at the scene, leading to brief tension in the area, he said.

Heavy police deployment was made in the village to maintain law and order, and prevent any untoward incident, Singh said.