Telangana: Chief Priest Of Prominent Temple, His Son Sacked For Sexual Harassment, Dowry Demands

In Telangana, a prominent temple's chief priest and his son, who also served as a priest, have been removed from their duties due to severe accusations of dowry demands and sexual misconduct.

The suspension was enacted late Wednesday by the temple's executive officer, L Rama Devi, following a complaint lodged by the chief priest's daughter-in-law from Tadepalligudem, Andhra Pradesh.

She accused the duo of harassment, prompting the temple authorities to take immediate action to uphold the sanctity of their religious positions.

The allegations against the chief priest and his son brought to light a disturbing situation within the temple's community, marking a rare occasion where temple officials faced accusations of such serious misconduct.

The daughter-in-law's complaint, filed on August 14, detailed how she was sexually assaulted by her father-in-law and subjected to dowry demands by her husband and his family, who requested Rs 10 lakh. Despite her efforts to resolve the disputes internally, the abusive behavior allegedly persisted.

M Hanumantha Rao, the Telangana endowments commissioner, considering the gravity of the accusations, initiated disciplinary proceedings against the two men, highlighting a potentially unprecedented case of a chief priest being implicated in sexual harassment charges.

Rama Devi, as per TOI report, revealed that the decision to suspend the chief priest and his son was made after the temple received a copy of the FIR filed in Tadepalligudem, West Godavari.

The FIR detailed charges of sexual harassment and dowry demands, leading to an immediate response from temple authorities to preserve the respect and dignity associated with their priesthood roles.

The police investigation, led by Tadepallig town inspector A Subrahmanyam, is thoroughly examining the accusations under various sections of the IPC, including sexual harassment, stalking, and dowry harassment, along with the Dowry Prohibition Act.

Despite initial challenges in locating the accused for questioning, authorities are determined to interrogate them soon to ascertain the veracity of the claims made by the chief priest's daughter-in-law.

This incident has caused considerable turmoil in the temple town, marking a dark chapter in the temple's history. The chief priest, lacking biological sons, had adopted his accused son from a known family a few years prior.

The son's marriage in 2019 to the complainant was soon marred by discord, escalating to the alleged sexual and financial abuses that have now led to their suspension.

This case has brought attention to the need for stringent measures to prevent such abuses within the temple's community, ensuring that the spiritual sanctity and trust placed in religious leaders are uncompromised.