Karnataka self-styled godman kisses minor in front of parents, video sparks outage
India Today
A viral video showed the self-styled godman in Karnataka's Yadgir behaving inappropriately with a seven-year-old girl.
A self-styled godman in Karnataka’s Yadgir district has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act after a viral video showing him behaving inappropriately with a seven-year-old girl sparked outrage. The video shows the godman, Mallikarjuna Muttava of a shrine in Shahapur, holding the child in his lap and kissing her while the parents look on.
A police case was initiated after the Karnataka State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights took cognisance of the video and sought action from the authorities.
"Notice has been issued to him. We will carry on with the investigation. The parents and the girl have recorded their statements; they did not find anything wrong in his touch, and they themselves recorded the video. However, the footage shows the child appearing uncomfortable. After counselling, the Child Welfare Committee recommended the registration of an FIR,” the Yadgir Superintendent of Police said.
The parents, who had recorded and uploaded the video on social media, claimed they did not find his actions inappropriate. However, after counselling, the Child Welfare Committee observed that the child appeared uncomfortable in the video and recommended that a case be filed.
Following directions from the Commission, district child protection officials visited the ashram, recorded statements from the child and her parents -- who are from Maharashtra's Solapur -- and submitted a report.
Police have since registered a case under the Pocso Act and launched an investigation.
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