Visakhapatnam : A 60-year-old Mahant has been arrested for molesting a girl in an ashram in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The police gave this information on Tuesday. It is being told that accused Parmanand runs Ramanand Gyananand Ashram in Venkoji Nagar of MVP Colony area of Visakhapatnam. This ashram was established in the year 1955.
Used to misbehave on the pretext of pressing feet
Confirming the allegation of molestation, Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner Trivikram Verma said that Mahant used to call two girls of around 14 years of age after 9 pm on the pretext of pressing their feet and then subjected them to all kinds of misbehaviour. A few days ago, the girl managed to escape from the ashram and boarded the Tirumala Express train to reach Vijayawada, where some people helped her contact the child protection officer, he said.
Vijayawada police arrested
He said with the help of locals, the girl was taken to the Disha (Women’s Safety) police station in Vijayawada, where she lodged a complaint and later Parmanand was arrested. According to the police, to save himself from suspicion, Parmanand lodged a missing complaint of the girl at the MVP Colony police station on June 15.
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Case filed against Mahant under POCSO Act
Meanwhile, the police is talking to other children of the ashram to ascertain whether such incidents have been carried out by the arrested accused in the past. The commissioner said that in such a situation all those cases would be clubbed together during further action. The police have registered a case against the accused Mahant under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.
