Pontiff charged with rape under POCSO Act in Karnataka, arrested
Tumakuru, Mar 8: Balmanjunath Mahaswamiji of Vidya Chowdeshwari Peeth in Kunigal Taluk of this district has been arrested on charges of rape under POCSO Act following a complaint lodged by a 20-year-old woman with the police.
The victim alleged that the pontiff sexually assaulted her on several occasions in the past five years even when she was a minor.
According to the complaint, she first visited the Mutt along with her father when she was 15. They were looking for cure for their health issues and they performed an "Ashtamangala prasnam". But taking advantage, he allegedly sexually assaulted her.
ALSO READ: Cong fields Geetha Shivarajkumar from Shimoga, renominates D K Suresh from Bangalore Rural
Later, he also forced her to attend his video calls wherein he asked her to remove her clothes and "please" him, the complaint alleged.
“Based on a complaint we received from the victim, we registered a case under section 376 (rape), 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and other relevant section of the Protection of Children from the Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act as well as IT Act,” a senior officer said, adding, the pontiff was arrested on Thursday night.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Security forces destroy 23 illegal bunkers, seize 18 IEDs in Manipur
Imphal (PTI): Security forces have destroyed 23 bunkers illegally constructed in Manipur's Ukhrul and seized 18 IEDs in Tengnoupal district in separate operations, a police statement said on Saturday.
The bunkers were destroyed on Thursday in the hill villages of Mongkot Chepu, Shongphel, Mullam, Sirarakhong and Ringue in Litan police station area, it said.
A 12-bore pump action gun, 17 cartridges of different calibres and 111 empty cases of fired bullets were also seized.
At least seven people have been shot dead in different firing incidents and more than 30 houses have been torched since violence broke out between Tangkhul Naga and Kuki communities in Ukhrul district in February this year.
Meanwhile, in a separate operation on Wednesday, security forces seized a cache of arms and explosives in T Bongmol village in Moreh police station area in Tengnoupal district.
Two single-barrel rifles, four 9mm pistols with magazines and 18 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were seized. The explosives were destroyed on the spot, it added.
