JAIPUR: A mahant has been arrested by police in Rajasthan for sexual assault of a minor girl. Sarjudas Maharaj who has five ashrams in four states, was arrested from his ashram in Bhilwara, Rajasthan. The complaint is that a 17-year-old girl was sexually abused by Sarjudas for or one and a half years.

The girl’s mother suffered an acid attack earlier. Sarjudas raped the girl who visited the ashram after this. The girl revealed about this to her friend a few days ago. Then she informed her mother also. Following this, they filed a police complaint and the accused was arrested under POCSO act.

The Mahant is head of five ashrams, which are in Maharashtra, Ayodhya and Badrinath. After his arrest on Wednesday, Sarjudas tried to commit suicide by consuming poison. He was admitted in the hospital. He was taken to court on Thursday and has been remanded. Meanwhile, the girl’s relatives alleged that Sarjudas is also behind the acid attack on her mother.