A New York-based Hindu priest has been arrested in Canada for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman on pretext of a ‘religious ceremony’ to heal her of evil spirits in Oshawa, police said.
The accused priest has been identified as 50-year-old Rajendranauth Doodnauth Maraj.
There, he convinced the victim that she was possessed by evil spirits and that a specific religious ceremony was needed to heal her, Durham Regional Police said in a statement. Shinde initially pretended to bless the elderly woman, police said. He allegedly spoke to the young woman for some time and then asked her to lie down on the bed, police said.
The incident unfolded when the victim’s family invited him from the USA to Canada perform a religious ceremony. However, the police now suspect that there may be more victims sexually assaulted by Maraj and have urged anyone with information to come forward. But during his conversation, Shinde learnt that there was a young woman in the house and had no child despite being married for several years. He then offered to perform a ritual on the woman that would bless the couple with a child. He first touched her head on pretext of performing the ritual and then touched her inappropriately and sexually assaulted her, the Indian Express report added, citing police. After realising that she had been sexually assaulted, the woman informed her husband and the couple approached Powai police station that evening. The police registered a rape case and began examining the CCTV footage from the building and surrounding areas in which they allegedly spotted Shinde boarding an autorickshaw.
He was traced to Kalwa and was detained on Wednesday night.
Religious Ceremony Used as Pretext for Assault
On August 25, police were alerted to a sexual assault case involving a man named Maraj, who has since been arrested. The incident was reported by the victim’s family, prompting a police investigation.
According to authorities, Maraj, a pandit, misled the victim into believing she was possessed by evil spirits. He convinced her that a specific ritual was necessary for her healing, which led to her attending a private location where the assault occurred. The police confirmed that Maraj has been charged with one count of sexual assault in connection with this case.
