Dinanagar: A localized wave of public outrage has erupted in the Dinanagar town of Gurdaspur district, Punjab, following the arrest of a local priest accused of molesting a woman and attempting to abduct her near the town’s railway station. Local residents have strongly condemned the incident, demanding stringent legal action against the individual for allegedly using his religious position to commit criminal acts.
According to Dinanagar Station House Officer Surinder Pal Singh, the incident occurred when the victim was walking near the railway station after completing her evening household chores. The accused, identified as Chandrahas, a resident of Dinanagar, allegedly intercepted the woman on his motorcycle and initially demanded her mobile phone number. When the woman refused to comply, the accused reportedly grabbed her hand with malicious intent and tried to forcefully pull her onto his vehicle.
The victim managed to free herself from his grip, fled the scene immediately, and narrated the ordeal to her family members, who subsequently approached the police. Acting swiftly on the formal complaint, law enforcement officials registered a case and arrested Chandrahas. He was produced before a local court, which subsequently remanded him to judicial custody. Police officials also revealed that the accused is a repeat offender, having previously been booked in a separate criminal case for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through an offensive social media post.