Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru file photo file photo Special Correspondent MYSURU
A first information report (FIR) has been lodged against Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, seer and chief of the Murugha math in Chitradurga, and four others on the charge of sexually harassing minor girls who are residents of the hostel run by the math.
Two girls, who are now sheltered at Odanadi Seva Samsthe, an NGO engaged in rescue and rehabilitation of sexually exploited women and children in Mysuru, appeared before the Mysuru District Child Welfare Committee (CWC) on August 26 and made the statement detailing their alleged sexual harassment by the seer with the assistance of the hostel warden and three others.
Based on the directions of the CWC, the Legal and Probation Officer, Mysuru District Child Protection Unit, has lodged a complaint with the Nazarbad police station here. An FIR under various Sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012, and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was filed late on Friday night.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), Mysuru city, Pradeep Gunti, told The Hindu on Saturday that the case had been transferred to Chitradurga based on the place of occurrence as cited in the complaint. “It has been transferred to Chitradurga with the permission of the court,” he said.
According to the complaint, one victim underwent sexual harassment for the last three-and-a-half years while another was subjected to sexual harassment over the last one-and-a-half years.
According to Odanadi’s founder Parashuram M.L., the victims, who were high school students, fled from the hostel to escape the sexual abuse and reached Bengaluru to lodge a complaint. When they were sent away by the police in Bengaluru, they learnt about Odanadi Seva Samsthe and reached Mysuru on Friday with the help of a woman and filed the complaint.
While claiming that a lot of pressure was brought upon them in the matter, Mr. Parashuram said a judicial probe should be conducted to bring to light any conspiracy in the episode.
Counter-complaint filed
Meanwhile, a counter-complaint of sexual harassment has been filed against the administrator of the math, S.K. Basavarajan, and his wife Soubhagya by a woman working for the educational institution run by the math.
In the complaint, she had alleged that Mr. Basavarajan tried to rape her and had threatened to kill her when she resisted.
She also claimed that the two minor girls, who have spoken against the seer, had gone out of the math citing personal reasons. However, instead of reaching their homes, they had reached the police station in Bengaluru. Without informing the concerned, Mr. Basavarajan had kept them “illegally” at his home, she claimed.
Meanwhile, the advisory committee of the math held a meeting on Saturday and termed the allegations “baseless” and a “conspiracy”.
Speaking to presspersons after the meeting, Vishwanath, member of the advisory committee, termed the allegation as a “conspiracy” to harass the seer and said Mr. Basavarajan was behind it.
Mr. Vishwanath said Mr. Basavarajan, who returned to the math after a break, was expecting full power in administration.
He said never before such allegations were made against the seer. The seer had always worked for the welfare and upliftment of women and children.
Replying to a query, Mr. Vishwanath said that a team of advocates had met the seer and it had been decided to approach the court for anticipatory bail.
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