I found girl child first, mutt authorities took her away, claims woman

CHITRADURGA: In a fresh twist to the case of a four-and-half-year-old girl, identified as ‘Chiguru’, being found at the Murugharajendra Mutt, a woman has claimed that it was she who first found the child and took her to the mutt.

Fairoza, who runs a petty shop in the area, told media persons, “I found the child when she was a four- or five-day-old infant. Maybe someone abandoned her in front of the mutt. A letter was found on the child mentioning that she should be handed over to the mutt. I went inside the mutt and informed the security staff. But they took only the letter. Then I kept the baby with me and cleaned her up. After some time, the seer sent some staff and took away the child.”

The child with Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru

Fairoza further said, “Some locals had come forward to adopt the child. At that time, the Murugha mutt seer used to advise them to register some property in the name of the child and that only then, the mutt would give the child for adoption. Since then, the child grew up at the mutt itself”.

Fairoza, a lady who handed over Chiguru to Mutt authority

She also claimed that about 18 years ago, there was a rumor that a baby was found in a pond near the mutt. Then, locals had handed over the child to the mutt authorities. I do not remember her name and don’t know about her whereabouts.”

The Murugha Mutt is believed to have erected a cradle near the main entrance to rescue abandoned babies. With the seer getting embroiled in sexual assault cases, questions are now being raised about whether the mutt is a safe place for such children.

A cradle at the entrance of the mutt.