Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, the chief of Murugha Math — one of many key seminaries of Karnataka’s politically highly effective Lingayat group — has been arrested after allegations of rape from two faculty women. He was named in a case below Safety of Kids from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act after the 2 women alleged that they suffered sexual assault for years.
Shivamurthy Sharanaru has claimed that the allegations towards him are a part of a long-drawn conspiracy. He has claimed that he will probably be proved harmless.
The arrest comes after days of demand from the Dalit group and others, together with a bit of staff of the Murugha Math. Given the quantity of political clout the Lingayat group wields, there was full silence from the state’s political leaders — the Congress and the ruling BJP.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s predecessor, former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa had publicly backed him, saying the seer has been “falsely implicated”.
Earlier this month, Congress’s Rahul Gandhi had visited the mutt and was inducted into the Lingayat group by the Shivamurthy Sharanaru.
Sources stated the police had exercised appreciable discretion whereas making the arrest to keep away from a regulation and order subject. It isn’t but identified the place he has been taken or whether or not he will probably be produced earlier than a courtroom tonight.
The women — each college students of Murugha Math — had approached a non-governmental organisation in Mysuru and stated they had been being abused. The non-profit had taken up the matter and a grievance was filed with the police.
On August 31, instances had been registered towards Shivamurthy Sharanaru below POCSO and the SC/ST Act, since one of many survivors belongs to the Dalit group.
