Priest arrested on rape charge

RANCHI - Police Tuesday arrested a priest in Dumka district of Jharkhand after a woman inmate at his ashram accused him of rape.

Mahant Babluji was arrested at Sadanand Mission after some women alleged he had misbehaved with them while a young woman hurle rape charges, a police officer told IANS from Dumka, some 400 km from here.

All the inmates fled the ashram some days ago, police said. The case was registered Monday.

The priest has refuted the allegations. “The charges against me are false. Go and verify the facts from the ashram staff,” he said.