On August 26, 2022, two minor girls filed a complaint at the Nazarabad police station in Mysuru alleging sexual harassment at the Lingayat mutt of Chitradurga in Karnataka.
The minor girls complained that they were allegedly sent to clean Sharanaru’s private room where the accused would give them a chocolate or an apple laced with drugs. After they lost consciousness, the seer would allegedly abuse them.
The case was later transferred to Chitradurga and the police registered an FIR against five accused in the case – Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, Rashmi (warden of Muruga mutt), Paramashivaiah (secretary of the mutt), a junior pontiff and Gangadariah (advocate of the mutt).
Sharanaru was booked under provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Juvenile Justice Act, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the Religious Institutions (Prevention of Misuse) Act.
Source: Barandbench
