Jhansi: A 62-year-old temple priest, arrested on charges of allegedly sexually harassing a nine-year-old girl, died by suicide after reportedly hanging himself from a window grill inside a police station in Jhansi on Monday morning.The incident took place at Gursarai police station, around 70 km from Jhansi city. The deceased, a priest at a temple in Singar village, had been arrested on Sunday afternoon following a complaint accusing him of sexually harassing a minor girl. He was detained at the police station for questioning through the day and night.According to police, Rajendra was found hanging from the grill of a toilet window with a noose. Police personnel rushed him to a nearby community health centre (CHC), from where he was referred to Jhansi Medical College in a critical condition. He succumbed during treatment a few hours later.The death triggered protests by Rajendra’s family members, who alleged that he had been falsely implicated in the case and subjected to pressure at the police station.His eldest son alleged that his father had been framed following a dispute over temple land. He claimed that their family had been looking after the village temple for three generations and that his father was the third-generation priest there.He alleged that the temple premises included a large tract of land which, he claimed, several people wanted to acquire. According to him, a girl had entered the temple compound to pluck flowers, following which his father objected. He alleged that the girl’s family subsequently lodged a false complaint against his father.Tension prevailed in Singar village following the death, prompting the deployment of additional police personnel as a precautionary measure.SSP Jhansi BBGTS Murthy said he has directed SP City Preeti Singh to conduct an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
