Ayodhya priest arrested for holding devotee hostage, raping her several times

Ayodhya: The chief priest of a temple in Ayodhya was arrested Tuesday for allegedly holding a woman devotee hostage and raping her several times, police said.

The 30-year-old woman had come to the temple from Varanasi on December 24 to take lessons on spirituality from Krishna Kantacharya, the temple's mahant, Ayodhya police circle officer A K Sav told reporters in Ayodhya.

Kantacharya allegedly offered the woman to stay at the temple premises where he held her hostage and raped her several times, the officer said. He said the woman somehow managed to call police on Tuesday following which she was rescued.

The woman was sent for a medical examination and the mahant arrested, police said.