State Directorate of child protection orders counseling of girl students of Muruga mutt

Chitradurga: The state directorate of child protection (DCP) on Wednesday ordered to counsel all the girl students stayed in Kkamahadevi hostel of the Muruga mutt studying in SJM institution. The decision was taken following multiple complaints filed against Sri Jagadguru Murugarajendra (SJM) mutt former pontiff Shivamurthy Sharana about sexual atrocity.

The first FIR was filed against Shivamurthy on August 26 and the second FIR filed on October 13. Even after that child rights activists filed complaint with officials to counsel the other girls who were sexually assaulted by pontiff. The third FIR filed under JJ act for housing two minor girls without informing officials.

"We are complaining to authorities to counsel another 16 year old girl but Chitradurga CWC said they counseled the 16 year girl and did not find any evidence of sexual assault. We welcome the decision of DCP, as truth would come out," Dr M K Madhu Kumar , advocate and social activist told The Hans India.

Madhu Kumar, who has taken up legal battle against Shivamurthy pontiff, said that the mutt has high influence in Chitradurga and patronised by politicians hence the officials could not take impartial probe. The decision of DCP would definitely provide justice to the victims, he said.

A total of 103 primary and high school girl students were staying in Akkamahadevi hostel run by the mutt. The parents of 54 girls took out children to their homes soon after the sexual harassment came to light. The other 49 girl students were sent to Balamandir of 11 districts.

"The counseling will go in three stages. All the 103 minor girl students will be counseled in three stages. As the girls are natives of neighboring 11 districts ,the respective district CWCs would counsel the girls," P Lokeshappa, Chitradurga district child protect officer told The Hans India.

On Wednesday, the rural station police conducted an investigation into the case registered under the Juvenile Justice Act. A team of police headed by IO and PSI D. Shivakumar, visited the Muruga

Mutt and searched the Madilu Adoption Center and Akkamahadevi hostel, conducted Mahazar related to JJ act.

''The CWC and child protection unit not working efficiently in Chitradurga hence we complained to higher authorities to disband CWC and DCPU. The two FIRs filed in Mysuru instead of Chitradurga owing to lack of confidence in the officials,'' K V Stanley, director of Odanadi , Mysuru-based NGO told The Hans India. "We are sure that more number of victims would come forward to file complaint if counseling is done to all," he added.