Narsingh temple priest framed in false rape charge in Madhya Pradesh

Sardarpur (Madhya Pradesh): Villagers of Narsingh-Dewla located around 3 km away from Sardarpur tehsil have claimed that Narsingh temple priest is deliberately framed in a false rape case in a criminal conspiracy.

A large number of residents turned up in support of the priest and handed over a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, police commissioner (CP) and the SP.

In the memorandum, it was said that Golu Bahadur Singh of Bhopawar and Veeru Namalun of Bhilkhedi village tried to frame priest Virendra due to some old rivalry. On June 8, the duo along with two accomplices forcefully took Virendra to a secluded place at knife point and threatened to kill him if he failed to do forceful intercourse with a woman.

Later, they took him to Sardarpur police station and lodged a rape complaint against him. The priest’s supporters also claimed to produce the CCTV footage of the incident in which Golu could be seen assaulting Virendra and Ramesh Danna could be seen saving him from the attack.

They accused local police of harassing the priest under political pressure and also framing Guru Santosh Mishra in the case. They also demanded a fair probe in the case and scrutiny of CCTV footage installed at the temple for furnishing truth.

Notably, there has been a long- standing dispute between temple trustees and villagers for the entry of tribals into the premises and consume food being served there.