BELAGAVI: The Mudalagi police have arrested a self-proclaimed godman for sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl over three days after offering to drop her home, at Mekhali village in Raibagh taluk. The godman has been booked under the POCSO Act and is currently in judicial custody.
The self-proclaimed godman, Lokeshwar, has built a math at Mekhali village and had earned the trust of the residents. The godman had managed to convince the villagers that he could cure their sick children and women.
Last week, when the victim, a first-year PU student, was returning home, Lokeshwar stopped his car and offered to drop her home. Instead, he took the girl to Raichur where he sexually assaulted her in a lodge for two days. He then took her to Bagalkot where he assaulted her in a lodge for one day. He then dropped her off at Mahalingapur and threatened to kill her if she revealed anything, Police Superintendent Bheemashankar Guled explained.
The victim, who was in shock for a few days, then opened up to her parents about what had transpired following which the parents lodged a complaint at the Mudalagi police station. “He is presently lodged in Hindalga jail and we plan to seek his custody on Monday to investigate if he was involved in similar cases earlier”, the SP said.
Meanwhile, the villagers have vented their anger at the godman and said that he will not be allowed into the village. They also demanded strict punishment for him. The villagers said they also found sharp weapons at the math. They have also warned of protest if the district administration does not evict the math.
