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.
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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.
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Delhi records high of 32.7 deg C; AQI remains 'moderate'
New Delhi (PTI): The maximum temperature in Delhi settled at 32.7 degrees Celsius on Sunday, 1.3 notches below the seasonal average, according to the India Meteorological Department.
The minimum temperature was recorded at 20.1 degrees Celsius on Sunday, 1.3 notches below the average for the season, while the relative humidity stood at 46 per cent at 5.30 pm, the IMD said.
The weather department has forecast a partly cloudy sky for Monday with the maximum and minimum temperatures expected to hover around 34 and 19 degrees Celsius, respectively.
The air quality remained 'moderate' at 4 pm, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 134, a slight drop from Saturday’s 137, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed.
According to the CPCB, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.
