Mysuru(PTI): Chief pontiff of a Chitradurga-based prominent mutt is among the five people booked by the police under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, for allegedly sexually abusing high school girls, police sources said on Saturday.

The case has been booked at the Nazarbad Police Station here, based on the complaint by an officer of the District Child Protection Unit.

Warden of a hostel run by the mutt was among the accused, police sources said.

According to police sources, the complaint is based on the statement of two girls, who accused the seer of 'sexually abusing' them for nearly couple of years now and others of allegedly supporting or cooperating for the same.

The girls are said to have approached the 'Odanadi Seva Samsthe', a social non-governmental organisation based in Mysuru, and narrated the abuse during the counselling on Friday night, following which Odanadi approached the authorities.

The Mysuru police have done preliminary legal formalities and the case may get transferred to a jurisdictional police station in Chitradurga, as the incident occurred there, sources added.

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Kochi (PTI): Two persons have been arrested after a three-member gang allegedly sexually assaulted a woman at knifepoint near Ernakulam Junction Railway station, officials said on Friday.

The arrested accused were identified as Danish (26), a native of Varkala in Thiruvananthapuram district, and Rahul (39), a native of Paravoor in Kollam district.

Police officials said they were searching for the prime accused, Sanjay, a native of Aroor in Alappuzha district.

According to police, the incident occurred on the night of May 5 when the victim was chatting with her friend near a closed hotel near Ernakulam Junction Railway station.

Officials said the accused approached them, attacked the victim’s friend and then allegedly threatened the woman with a knife before sexually assaulting her.

Police said the accused also allegedly disrobed the victim during the attack.

However, the woman managed to escape from the spot and approached a nearby shop for help.

Police were informed immediately and shifted the victim to the police station.

Officials said the accused were heavily drunk at the time of the incident and went into hiding soon after the attack.

Police registered a case on May 6 under charges including rape, disrobing a woman, criminal intimidation and robbery.

The two accused were later arrested in the city, while efforts are continuing to trace Sanjay, police said.

The accused were produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody.