The police in Karnataka Thursday arrested Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, the pontiff of Jagadguru Murugarajendra Vidyapeetha Mutt, for allegedly sexually assaulting two minor students in Chitradurga. According to police sources, the seer was taken into custody from the mutt.
Mysuru police had lodged a complaint against Shivamurthy Muruga Sharanaru on August 26 under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, 2012, and Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) pertaining to rape. This came after two girls told members of the state Child Welfare Committee that they were sexually assaulted between January 1, 2019, and June 6, 2022 by the seer. The case was later transferred to Chitradurga district police.
The seer had applied for anticipatory bail and on Thursday, the court had adjourned the hearing till Friday. The seer being investigated by the Karnataka Police heads one of the most prominent of the nearly 3,000 Lingayat mutts in the state.