'He put his hands inside my blouse': Indian-origin Malaysian model accuses Hindu priest of molestation in temple

Image Source: Lishalliny Kanaran (Instagram)

A Malaysian model has publicly accused a Hindu priest of molesting her under the guise of performing a religious blessing inside a temple. Indian-origin Lishalliny Kanaran, who was crowned Miss Grand Malaysia in 2021, shared her ordeal in a powerful social media post detailing the alleged incident, which occurred last Saturday at the Mariamman Temple in Sepang.

According to the South China Morning Post, the police have launched a manhunt for the accused priest after Kanaran went public with her story. The model said she initially tried to follow the proper legal route but decided to speak out after facing intimidation from law enforcement.

She alleged that the investigating officer in her case tried to dissuade her from going public, telling her: “If you do, it will be your fault [and] you’ll be blamed.”

Following the threat, she said she chose to share her experience on social media.

“There's a priest there who would usually guide me through the rituals, since I'm new to all this. I don't know much, and I've always appreciated his help,” Kanaran wrote.

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A post shared by Lishalliny Kanaran (@lishallinykanaran)

She recounted how the priest approached her during a prayer session, offering her a special blessing with holy water and a protective string. Although she felt uneasy, she followed him to his office inside the temple.

“Inside the office, he asked me to sit while he stood,” she said. “He poured something, a very strong-smelling liquid, like rose or flower essence into the holy water. He said it was from India, and that they don't usually give it to ordinary people.”

What followed, according to Kanaran, quickly turned distressing. She claimed the priest repeatedly splashed water on her face until she couldn’t open her eyes.

“Then he allegedly asked me to lift my suit. When I refused, he lashed out at me for wearing a tight outfit and splashed the water again and stood behind me,” she wrote.

That’s when the alleged assault occurred.

“Then, without warning, he put his hands inside my blouse, into my bra, and started touching me inappropriately,” she recounted.

“My brain knew everything about that moment was wrong and yet I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak. I froze. And I still don’t understand why.”

Kanaran said she was left in shock for several days and found it hard to process what had happened.

“That betrayal is what cuts the deepest. I won't go into more detail. But I was MOLESTED by that priest. And I couldn't react.”

The case has sparked outrage on social media, with calls for swift justice and an impartial investigation. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the priest has been apprehended.