Overview

• Lishalliny Kanaran alleges that on June 21 a temporary Hindu priest at Mariamman Temple in Sepang molested her during what he described as a blessing ritual.
• She filed a police report on July 4 after confiding in her family and detailed the assault on social media on July 8.
• Sepang District Police have registered the case under Section 354 of the Penal Code for outrage of modesty and launched a nationwide search for the Indian national suspect.
• Conviction under Section 354 carries penalties of up to ten years in prison, highlighting the legal framework for prosecuting such offences.
• Advocates point to earlier unaddressed complaints and alleged downplaying by temple officials as evidence of systemic barriers that victims face.