MYSURU/CHITRADURGA: Mysuru City police have filed a zero FIR against Dr Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, pontiff and chief of Murugha Mutt, Chitradurga, and four others, including a junior seer of the mutt, on the charges of abusing minor girl students from Chitradurga, late on Friday.
The case has been transferred to Chitradurga cops.
Veerashaiva leaders in Chitradurga have accused the Mutt administrator behind the entire episode and have condemned the attempt to insult the Pontiff.
LB Rajashekar, president of Veerashaiva association in Chitradurga, stated quoting the pontiff that “I (Seer) have not done anything wrong and I will fight back.”
Deputy commissioner of police (Law and order), Mysuru City, Pradeep Gunti confirmed to TOI that a case was taken up against the Chitradura Murugha Mutt seer and others based on a report by Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Mysuru, on Friday.
The case was transferred to their counterpart in Chitradurga as the place of occurrence was Chitradurga, after obtaining permission from a competent court in Mysuru.
A CWC member stated after the children were produced before the committee by Odanadi Seva Samsthe, the minor victims were counselled when they reportedly explained their terrible ordeal allegedly at the hands of the accused.
Later, an officer of CWC lodged a complaint with Nazarbad police station in Mysuru
Odanadi Seva Samsthe director L Parashuram said the children came to us seeking help to fight against ‘influential’ Seer and other members of the Mutt.
A few months previously, along with local police Odanadi, an organisation working for the welfare of the women, had busted the illegal flesh trade business by conducting raids on lodges in Chitradurga and it was widely publicised in the media.
As a result, the girls trusted us and came on Saturday. We then took them to CWC, the director stated.
According to the FIR, a copy of which is with the TOI, five people, including the pontiff were accused, under different sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and IPC.
Veerashaiva Members condemn target on Seer
LB Rajashekar, president of Veerashaiva association, Chitradurga, on Saturday blamed faithless friends of Seer, including the administrator of the Mutt, for all these ‘unpleasant’ developments.
The administrator was at loggerheads with the Seer with regard to Mutt’s administrative powers. It has been going on for two years now. We’re quite sure that he is behind the incident of defaming the Seer, he alleged.
The devotees of the Mutt and the people of Chitradurga condemn the effort to insult the pontiff.
“False friends have taken the minor Children to Mysuru and slyly lodged a case against five people, including the Mutt Pontiff Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru.
The pontiff at the Mutt’s advisory committee meeting held after the allegation was made.
The Seer has claimed he hasn’t done anything wrong and said he would fight back, said Rajashekar.
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