Karnataka’s Lingayat saint arrested: Shifted from Chitradurga jail to hospital, complains of chest pain; Alleged rape of minor girls

The police had also issued a precautionary lookout notice to prevent Sharnaru from leaving the country before his arrest.

Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, the head priest of the Sri Murugha Math in Karnataka, was on Friday sent to 14-day judicial custody. Sharanaru is accused of sexually assaulting two minor girls studying in the Math’s school. Sharanaru was arrested by Karnataka Police on Thursday. However, Shivmurthy has been admitted to Murugh Sharanaru District Hospital after complaining of chest pain.

Earlier, Sharanaru was taken to Chitradurga district jail. At the same time, the police will demand to take Sharanaru to police remand in the open court on Saturday.

Lingadiksha has given refuge to Rahul Gandhi
In August, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi along with party leaders DK Shivakumar and KC Venugopal visited Murugha Math in Chitradurga. Murugha Math is an impressive institution, with a long list of politicians who visit regularly. Sharnaru had also ‘Lingadiksha’ to Rahul Gandhi. It is an official ceremony in which a person is invited to the Lingayat sect.

poxo case registered under act
Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru is accused of sexually abusing minors. The victim girls had approached the ‘Odanadi’ NGO in Mysore, demanding justice. He was produced before the Child Welfare Committee in Mysore on 26 August and the same night a case was registered against 5 including Murugha Sharan under several sections.

Victims study in Math school
The girls who made the allegations say that they study in a school run by the monastery, their age is 15 and 16 years. The saint sexually abused her for more than three and a half years. The victims left the hostel on 24 July and reached Cottonpet police station on 25 July. After this, on 26 August, he lodged an FIR against the Lingayat saint at Nazarabad police station in Mysore.