Belagavi, 24 May

A swami was arrested for allegedly kidnapping and repeatedly raping a minor girl in Raibag taluk of Belagavi district, police said on Saturday.

The accused, Hathayogi Lokeshwar Swami, 30, of a Ram Mandir in Mekali village was arrested on Thursday.

The victim was taken to the temple by her family after some relatives suggested that her illness and other problems could be cured, police said.

In her complaint, the 17-year-old victim alleged that the offence occurred on 13 May. The accused allegedly offered to give her a lift when she was heading home from a relative's house in a village.

She alleged that then Lokeshwar Swami kidnapped her and repeatedly raped her in lodges in Raichur and Bagalkot from 13 May to 15 May.

After the offence, he left her at the Mahalingpur bus stand and threatened to kill her if she disclosed the incident to anyone, a senior police officer said.

The matter came to light after the victim narrated about the offence to her father a few days later. Following this, her father encouraged her to file a complaint.

"Based on her complaint, a case under relevant sections of the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was registered against the Swami and he was arrested on Thursday," he added.

Police recovered various iron weapons from the swami’s residence.