Priest held for insulting temple guard

Bengaluru: Abusing a security guard for touching the hundi (collection box) at a temple in Tumakuru district proved costly for a 35-year-old priest, who was arrested for insulting a member of a Scheduled Caste. Kunigal police said the accused is Rakesh, a resident of Muttugadahalli and priest at Bettada Ranganathaswamy temple in Menasanahalli, Kunigal taluk.Police registered a case under BNS and SC & ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against Rakesh based on a complaint filed by temple security guard Partharaju on Saturday. Rakesh was arrested Sunday and produced before a court, which remanded him in judicial custody.Partharaju said he worked as a security guard with a private agency that deployed him at the temple from Sept 1. He was shifting the hundi from the temple verandah to the hall on Oct 5. Rakesh allegedly objected to it and told Partharaju he shouldn't enter the temple and touch the hundi. On the same day, Rakesh noticed the complainant near the temple counter and allegedly insulted him, asking how he dared enter the sanctum sanctorum. Partharaju also alleged that the priest assaulted him with a wooden log.
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