Dhenkanal, Aug 16: Odisha Police arrested the head priest of Mathakargola Ashram in Dhenkanal district on Saturday for allegedly raping a 35-year-old woman inmate.

The accused, identified as Madhu Mangal Das alias Madan Mohan Parida (47), was taken into custody after the survivor filed an FIR at Kamakshyanagar police station. The woman alleged that Das assaulted her while she was asleep in her room on the ashram premises on August 4.

According to police sources, the woman had been staying at the ashram and working as a helper in its restaurant. She claimed that despite resisting, the priest forced himself upon her. Shockingly, the accused allegedly offered Rs 50,000 to silence her, but she chose to report the crime.

Following the complaint, the police sealed the ashram and launched a forensic investigation. A scientific team inspected the premises, collected samples, and documented the scene to gather corroborative evidence. The woman’s medical examination has been conducted, and her statement recorded under legal procedures.

The accused has been remanded to judicial custody for 14 days, and further legal action will depend on forensic and medical findings, police said.

The arrest has sent shockwaves through the local community, where the priest had been running the ashram for years. Many villagers expressed disbelief, noting that the ashram was considered a place of refuge, especially for women.

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