A former temple priest accused of molesting two girls inside Mangueshi Temple surrendered before a court in Goa on Tuesday. He was arrested by the police and has been remanded to two days in police custody.
Dhanajay Bhave (51), who had been absconding for over a month, was booked for molesting two girls inside the temple in June.
In two separate incidents, the priest allegedly molested the girls by hugging and kissing them near the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.
The first molestation case was filed on July 19. The second victim, from Mumbai, came forward a couple of days after the first complaint was registered.
The accused was subsequently dismissed from the temple’s services.
He had filed an anticipatory bail petition before the district court which rejected the plea. He later moved the Bombay High Court, which also rejected his plea on August 16. The Goa police then issued a lookout notice for Mr. Bhave.
Before going to the police, the complainants had approached the Shree Manguesh Devasthan Committee, which advised them to approach the “appropriate authority”.
