ISKCON monk in Bengal goes missing after sexual abuse complaint emerges

Jagadartiha Das, a monk and the chief coordinator of the globally acclaimed ISKCON temple at Mayapur has gone missing after a security guard of the temple filed a complaint.

Kolkata: Jagadartiha Das, a monk and the chief coordinator of the globally acclaimed International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temple at Mayapur in West Bengal’s Nadia district has gone missing after a security guard of the temple filed a complaint at a local police station against him.

According to the FIR filed at Nabadwip Police station, the victim security guard was allegedly summoned by the accused monk to his room and after that he was sexually abused by the latter. Local police sources said that although earlier too there were similar complaints of sexual abuse against the same monk, but this was the first time a formal police complaint has been filed.

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The Nadia district police Superintendent Ishani Paul has confirmed to the media persons that a complaint has been filed against the said monk and he is yet to be arrested as he went absconding. She also confirmed that the police have started a probe in the matter and have begun the process of tracking the accused monk.

The accused monk has been charged under Section 377 (unnatural offences), Section 342 (wrongful confinement) and Section 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

Meanwhile, the temple authorities have taken up the matter seriously and they have expelled Das, who was known as Jayanta Kumar Saha during his pre- monastery days, from the association.

In his complaint, the victim security guard also alleged that the accused monk also threatened him getting his sacked if he divulged the event of sexual abuse on him. The victim also informed the police that previously too other staff of the temple were sexually abused, though they remained silent in face of threat.