NGO Odanadi urges CBI probe in Karnataka girls' sexual abuse case
arrested pontiff undergoes potency test
Bengaluru, Sep 4: The Mysuru-based non-government organisation, which helped book a case against the chief pontiff of Murugha Math in the minor girls' sexual abuse case, on Sunday demanded that a CBI or a court-monitored inquiry should be conducted against the seer as some people in the administration were colluding to protect him.
Speaking to PTI, Stanly K Varghese, director of NGO 'Odanadi', said a high-level probe was necessary against Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru because there were media reports of many missing girls from the hostel, including the granddaughter of a blind man.
"In their statement, they (survivors) have mentioned about three more (missing) girls. That is evident in their statement. I am not talking in a vague manner. There are many girls, but they (survivors) have identified or recognised at least three girls who are there. Their names are mentioned (in the complaint)," Varghese said.
"Some mysterious deaths have happened, some girls went missing, some girls got married after rape, with the pontiff's support, some ladies got compensation for the rape by the pontiff," Varghese said.
The NGO director said the delay in the seer's arrest and the role of the child welfare committee of Chitradurga point to collusion.
"The system worked systematically in favour of the accused. I don't want to give a political or religious colour but the law-and-order system, the CWC of Chitradurga, hospital authorities, jail authorities, they all worked in favour of the accused. Even the medical officer was saying that the Swamiji got a heart attack, which is not true. After that, Swamiji became all right in the court," the director of Odanadi said.
Varghese was referring to a district medical officer's statement who had said that the seer would be shifted to a hospital in Bengaluru as he had developed some cardiac-related issue after his arrest.
Meanwhile, the seer was subjected to potency and DNA tests, sources in the medical department said.
"He underwent the potency test on Saturday. We also took samples of his blood and hair for DNA test," a medical officer in Chitradurga told PTI.
The officer refused to disclose the outcome saying that such things cannot be shared with media but will be presented to the court, which is hearing the case.
Sharanaru was arrested on Thursday following a case registered under provisions of the POCSO Act and ST/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against him for allegedly sexually harassing two minor girls studying in the high school.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
