Cop suspended for 'misbehaving' with minor girl inside Jagannath temple

A constable of Odisha police was suspended for allegedly misbehaving with a minor girl inside the Jagannath temple here on Saturday, a top officer said.

The girl, a resident of Odisha's Jajpur district, had alleged in her complaint that the constable had accompanied her and her parents to 'Bhitar Katha' (inner barricade) from 'Bahar Katha' (outer barricade) and "misbehaved" with her while she was praying to the deities on Saturday morning, Puri Superintendent of Police Sarthak Sarangi said.

The girl's statement had been recorded at Singhadwar police station here and a senior officer was entrusted with the task of carrying out the investigation, he said.

The police constable was found guilty based on "circumstantial evidence", just hours after the girl lodged her complaint, he said.

He will be arrested later, Sarangi said.

The complainant, while talking to reporters outside the police station, had said she would be able to identify the accused if she saw him.

Asked whether the constable was identified from the CCTV footage, Sarangi said, "Nothing is clear from the CCTV footage. The constable was found guilty during investigation."