A seer from Andhra Pradesh’s Vizag was apprehended Monday night after being accused of repeatedly raping a 15-year-old orphaned girl over several months in the ashram he administered.
Purnananda Saraswati, the head of Gnanananda Ashram in Venkoji, Visakhapatnam, was taken into custody following a complaint lodged by the teenage victim in Vijayawada, India Today reported.
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The police stated that the complainant alleged severe physical and sexual abuse by Purnananda Saraswati.
The victim escaped from the ashram and subsequently reached Vijayawada, where she reported the heinous acts to the authorities, police said. The authorities added that the girl’s parents had passed away when she was young, and her maternal grandmother had left her at the ashram two years ago.
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Police officer Vivekananda confirmed that an investigation had been launched into the matter and that Purnananda Saraswati was currently in custody, undergoing interrogation.
“Purnananda Saraswati stands accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting a minor girl within the ashram premises, capitalizing on her lack of parents or guardians. A case has been registered under the appropriate sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act. He will soon be remanded to judicial custody,” stated a senior police official, according to India Today.