Police nab 'breast' man
2003-04-14 13:25
New Delhi - Indian police have arrested a man who posed as a spiritual leader and claimed to "cure" childless women by fondling their breasts, a news report said on Sunday.
Women who were unable to conceive would go to Swami Kuchamardhana at a temple in the Warangal area of the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, the Asian Age newspaper.
The breast treatment was public as the women were always accompanied by other women from their family. Most of the clients were uneducated and from nearby villages, the report said.
The alleged conman, formerly a teacher at a private school, would tell the women he had the blessings of the Hindu god Shiva to cure them. He would then repeatedly run his hands over their breasts.
Some of the women said they went into a trance and were not aware of what he was doing.
Police said the man hired a group of unemployed youths to travel to villages in the district and tell childless women about the "miracles" he could perform.
He was finally arrested last week based on the complaint of a social activist. He has been charged under sections of the Indian penal code that deal with "cheating" and "outraging the modesty of a woman", the report said.
The police said when they went to the temple to arrest him, many of the woman who were waiting to be "treated" put up a fight. - Sapa-DPA
- SAPA