Odanadi Seva Samsthe, the Mysuru-based NGO, involved in rescue and rehabilitation of sexually exploited women and children, has sought police protection in view of the alleged threat to life arising in the wake of registration of an FIR and arrest of Murugha Mutt seer Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru.
In its letter seeking security sent to the city Police Commissioner Chandragupta, Odanadi Seva Samsthe has cited reports of death threats posed to Odanadi founders K.V. Stanly and Parashuram M.L. from supporters of the seer and followers of the mutt, besides the telephone calls they had received from people expressing disappointment with Odanadi. Hence, Odanadi has sought police protection to Mr. Stanly and Mr. Parashuram individually as well as to their families
Odanadi has also urged the city Police Commissioner to provide protection to Odanadi’s Girls Home and Rehabilitation Centre – Madilu – and its residents and staff, besides a gunman for their security.
It may be mentioned here that the victims in the POCSO case registered against Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru shared their experiences with Odanadi’s counsellors before they were taken to Mysuru District Child Welfare (CWC) Committee.
Meanwhile, BJP MLC A.H. Vishwanath also supported the demand for police security to Odanadi founders. “If anything happens to them, the Home Department will be directly responsible”, he said.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Sunday, Mr. Vishwanath took serious exception to the delay in arresting the main accused Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru and alleged destruction of evidence in the process. He accused the Chitradurga police of “diluting” a strong law like POCSO and called for the immediate suspension of the district’s Superintendent of Police. “It is a great lapse on the part of police”, he alleged.
Mr. Vishwanath, who had earlier criticised the alleged silence of the ruling party and Opposition leaders, on Sunday questioned the silence of AHINDA (an acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits) and sought a reply from AHINDA seers while pointing out that one of the victims, who had complained against her sexual abuse by the seer was a Dalit while another complainant belonged to the backward class.
