A Muslim cleric was arrested on charges of molestation and sexually exploitation of young girls at a mosque in the Queens neighbourhood of New York.
Tajul Islam, a 55-year-old Maulana, has been accused of victimising as young as 10-year-old girls inside the mosque itself.
The police have arrested the accused and sent him to jail.
According to the police, this shameful incident took place at the ‘Masjid Bilal Queens Islamic Center’ in the Jamaica area. Tajul Islam lived in the same mosque and served as its maulana.
It is reported that within a single week in April, he committed indecent acts with several girls. In one of the instances, he grabbed one 10-year-old girl near the mosque’s storefront, grabbed her breasts and toucher her inner thighs.
A complaint filed against him says he carried out a similar incident on Monday as well. He lured another 10-year-old girl with his words and touched her inappropriately. Just about four hours after this second incident, the police acted swiftly and handcuffed the accused.
The judge, deeming Tajul Islam’s actions serious, has remanded him to jail on a bail of $25,000 (approximately ₹20 lakh). The court has also issued protection orders to ensure the safety of the victim girls.
