Sexual abuse charge against Hindu priest

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

New York, Sep 10 (UNI) A Hindu priest, who is a native of Trinidad and Tobago, has been charged with outraging the modesty of a 16-year-old girl.

According to the District Attorney Richard Brown, Ramadhar Ramlal had persuaded the victim, who is now 20, to disrobe so that ''he could perform a cleansing ritual to exorcise her demons''.

The girl kept it to herself, until recently when she told her college counsellor, who, in turn, advised her to inform the police.

The Police conducted an investigation, which led to the arrest of the priest. Ramlal is also suspected of molesting the girl's younger sister, who was then 13.

According to court documents, Ramlal is a former police officer in his native land. He was charged with statutory rape, criminal sexual act, sex abuse and endangering the welfare of a child.

The Police said the older girl told them that she decided to have sex with him as she believed the cleansing ritual would help her alleviate the problems she had with her parents.

The district attorney pointed out that the priest had taken advantage of the girls' situation.

''What allegedly happened to these children is every child's and every parent's worst nightmare,'' he said in a statement on Friday. ''Under the guise of being their religious leader, the defendant is alleged to have taken advantage of the youngsters and their trust in him by robbing them of their innocence.'' Ramlal, who belongs to the US Pandits Parishad situated in the Jamaica section of Queens, a New York borough, was remanded on 50,000 dollar bail.

UNI XC DKB VP0840

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