Priest booked for molestation bid

A priest allegedly tried to molest a 45-year-old woman at her house in Nacharam area here under the pretext of performing a ritual, the police said today.
The priest, identified as Sriram Sharma, had told the woman to perform the "puja" at her residence after she approached him recently over the financial problems being faced by her husband, a bar owner.
"On September 14, Sharma went to the woman's house. He told her that only she alone should be inside the house while the ritual is being performed, and asked her husband and son to move out. He then attempted to outrage her modesty. However, the woman raised an alarm, following which her husband and son came to her rescue," an investigating official said based on a complaint lodged by the housewife.

Sharma was booked under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC, Nacharam police station inspector B Vittal Reddy said.
Sharma is not arrested yet and further probe is on, he added.