Karnataka: Today the police arrested Shivamurthy Muruga Sharnaru a famous saint of Lingayat Math on the charge of sexually abusing minors in Karnataka.
At the famous Muruga Monastery in Chitradurg Karnataka the chief mahant was accused of sexually abusing a student in an institution run by the said saint.
On the basis of the complaint filed by two minors the Mahisur city police registered an FIR in the name of Shivamurthy Muruga Sharnaru. He was then booked under the POCSO Act.
The complainant a student studying in a school run by the monastery approached an NGO called ‘Odanadi Seva Sansthe’ and reported everything. After the said ‘NGO’ informed the District Child Welfare Committee about the incident and action was initiated against the saint.
According to the complaint of the two girls aged 15 and 16 living in the dormitory run by the Muruga monastery had been sexually harassed for more than three and a half years.
The head of the NGO Odanadi Seva Samiti says that the problem is not with the two girls. The saint is also harassing some other girls studying in the said institute. Such malpractices have been going on for many years. But, we have come to know that the children are not saying anything out of fear. We will not cower under pressure or fear. It is the duty of society to protect the rights of children. We are committed to it.