K'taka govt demolishes illegal religious mutt in Belagavi after seer's arrest

Kalaburagi (Karnataka), May 30 (IANS) The Karnataka government has demolished the illegal Ram Mandir Mutt in Mekhali, Belagavi district, following the arrest of its head pontiff in a case related to the kidnapping and rape of a minor girl.

The demolition was carried out on Thursday night by the district administration using JCB excavators in the presence of police personnel and the Tehsildar. Authorities stated that the Hindu seer had built the Mutt by encroaching on government land.

The accused seer had constructed the Mutt 10 years ago. After his arrest, local residents declared that they would not allow him to return to either the mutt or Mekhali village. Allegations of land encroachment surfaced soon after the incident.

Officials stated that the seer, a native of Kalaburagi, had settled in Mekhali and built the Ram Mandir Mutt on eight acres of government land bearing survey number 225, where he conducted religious activities.

The Tehsildar had issued multiple notices to the seer to vacate the government land, but he allegedly ignored them and continued to operate from the encroached property, officials said.

Authorities confirmed that the illegal structure has now been completely razed, and the reclaimed land will be handed over to the Hubli Electricity Supply Company (HESCOM).

The accused seer was arrested on charges of raping a 17-year-old girl in Karnataka's Belagavi district. The police have filed a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case against the accused.

A case in this regard was registered at the Bagalkot Women's Police Station and subsequently transferred to the Mudalagi police station.

According to police, the seer allegedly raped the girl repeatedly and threatened to kill her if she revealed the incident.

The accused seer had taken the girl to Raichur on May 13 and stayed there for two days. Later, he took her to Bagalkot on May 15, staying there for another two days.

The accused seer took the girl with him, claiming to drop her back at her residence, and took advantage of the situation to commit the crime.

The seer left the victim at the Mahalingapura bus stop in the Bagalkot district on May 17. Later, the girl revealed her ordeal to her parents, and a complaint was lodged against him at the Bagalkot Women's Police Station.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the girl's parents, who were devotees of the Mutt and revered the accused seer, used to leave their daughter there often for weeks. The seer allegedly took advantage of this. Police said there are allegations against the Mutt and the seer of carrying out illegal activities.

It also came to light during the investigation that in 2021, the accused seer was beaten by villagers. Local people had appealed to the police to initiate strict legal action against him.

The police have recorded the statements of the villagers and the victim. The accused seer was produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody.

--IANS

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