Malaysian Model Says Hindu Priest Molested Her In Temple Under Pretext Of ‘Blessing’

A former Malaysian beauty queen has accused a Hindu priest, an Indian national, of sexually assaulting her inside a temple in Sepang, Malaysia, under the pretext of giving her a special blessing. The model, Lishalliny Kanaran, detailed the ordeal in a powerful social media post, prompting police to launch a manhunt for the accused priest.

Kanaran, who was crowned Miss Grand Malaysia in 2021, alleged that the incident took place last Saturday at the Mariamman Temple in Sepang. She claimed the priest, who had previously guided her through rituals, lured her into his office for what he described as a special blessing with holy water from India.

In her post, she recounted how the priest kept splashing the water on her face until she was disoriented and couldn’t open her eyes. “Then, without warning, he put his hands inside my blouse, into my bra, and started touching me inappropriately,” Kanaran wrote. “My brain knew everything about that moment was wrong and yet I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak. I froze.”

The model said she was in a state of shock for days following the incident. She also made the serious allegation that when she first approached the police, the investigating officer warned her against publicising the assault, telling her “it will be your fault [and] you’ll be blamed.” It was after this alleged threat that she decided to go public with her story.

Sepang district police chief Norhizam Bahaman confirmed that an investigation has been launched. He said the suspect is believed to be an Indian national who was temporarily officiating at the temple while the resident priest was away.

“The suspect’s modus operandi was allegedly to sprinkle holy water on the victim’s face and body before proceeding to molest her,” the police chief told local media.

Kanaran, in her post, expressed the deep sense of betrayal she felt. “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,” she wrote, sharing her experience to raise awareness.