Chinese woman pardons her Indian molester

A 32 years old Chinese pilgrim, who was allegedly molested inside the Bodh Gaya shrine, has forgiven the molester. In an application to the Bodh Gaya Police, the woman said that being a true Buddhist she did not want punishment for the man. “This is what Buddha would have done,” she wrote and requested that the man be reformed through good education.

In conclusion, the Shanghai resident wrote, “I sincerely wish the authorities educate him and help him to do right things in his life and make Bodh Gaya a safe and holy place for all people, specially those who are single and travelling alone”.

“It was not my intention to punish anyone. Truly from my heart I want to forgive him, which is the way Buddha showed us. I want him to understand that it is wrong what he did to a single woman and it was not right to take advantage of pilgrims”.

Her wishes are unlikely to be honoured though. The SSP Rajiv Mishra is on record saying that the man had committed an offence and the law would take its course. There was no place for emotion in the administration of justice, he added. A charge sheet in the case is likely to be filed shortly and the offender would be put through a speedy trial, the SSP added.

The 32 years old pilgrim from China, a resident of Shanghai, was molested inside Mahabodhi temple, the seat of Buddha’s enlightenment.

The accused, claiming to be working as a guide in the shrine premises was subsequently arrested. Shrine Management Committee Secretary N Dorje said that the matter has been referred to the police. Dorje denied that the accused was a temple employee. Bodh Gaya SHO said the man in his twenties was an unauthorised guide.

In her two page long hand written complaint, the Chinese pilgrim had claimed that the man had accosted her inside the shrine and offered to show less visited parts of the shrine, which she later learnt was not covered by CCTV.

Earlier also women tourists from abroad have complained of sexual harassment and even rape. A woman from Malaysia had also accused the shrine’s chief priest cum secretary of conduct unbecoming of a priest and passing lewd comments.