BENGALURU: At least eight minor children were rescued from an illegally-running ashram run by an engineering graduate, at Kengeri. A 40-year-old man, a magician, is the owner of the ashram, and was allegedly sexually harassing a 17-year-old girl staying there, according to the complaint filed by the girl. Police registered a case under the POCSO Act and arrested the man.
Confirming this, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Ravi D Channanavar, said, “We registered a case based on the statement of the girl. However, investigation is still in progress. ACP Kengeri Gate sub division has been assigned the case.”
Interestingly, the incident came to light when Child Welfare Committee (CWC) members here approached the city police based on communication received from CWC members at Chamaraj Nagar about a girl who had escaped from the ashram and was found at Chamaraj Nagar railway station.
CWC members passed on this information to jurisdictional police, who brought the girl back to the city. “During the preliminary inquiry, the girl revealed that she was sexually abused by the ashram owner, which is why she escaped. However, other children staying at the ashram have no such issues. We can only come to any conclusions after the investigation is completed,” said a senior police official.
Who is this magician?
This man, who is a famous magician in his locality, has been running the ashram since 2015, but does not have the required permission from authorities to run it. As per police information, the accused completed his engineering from a private engineering college in Mandya, and is single. For several years, even before setting up the ashram, he would help orphans and children with single parents. Later, he gathered a few such children and gave them accommodation in Kengeri.