MYSURU: Police in Karnataka said on Saturday that they had filed a POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses) case against a prominent Lingayat seer from the Chitradurga area.

In response to the Child Welfare Committee's complaint, the Nazarbad police have opened an inquiry into the situation (CWC). Odanaadi, a Mysuru-based NGO, has earlier petitioned CWC on behalf of the victims, asking for the security of female students and judicial action against the influential seer.

The victimised kids, who were in the mutt's residential facility, were allegedly sent to the seer's room under false pretences, said the polcie. There, the seer would sexually abuse the girls by giving them drug-laced food or drink.
According to the victims, there are other girls at the facility who are sexually exploited. The victims have travelled to Mysuru and asked the Odanaadi NGO for help due to the suspected seer's influence.

The Lingayat seer has been listed as the primary suspect by the police. The lady warden is also named in the FIR for allegedly sending girls to the seer. A junior swamiji of the mutt and two other employees are also involved in the case for enabling the exploitation of girls sexually.

Rahul Gandhi recently visited Karnataka, where the accused Lingayat seer met him and the Swamiji gave him a Linga deeksha. The Swamiji joined a padayatra to urge the Mekedatu project's implementation and sided with Congress State President D.D.K. Shivakumar.

The investigation has been started by the police, and Chitradurga is expected to receive the case.

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