Sexual abuse of school girls: Murugha Mutt swami complains of chest pain, shifted to hospital

News Network
September 2, 2022

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Chitradurga, Sept 2: Chief pontiff of Murugha Mutt Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, who has been arrested for alleged sexual abuse of high school girls and sent to judicial custody, was taken to the district hospital here on Friday after developing some health complications in jail, police sources said.

Police sources said the seer was questioned for several hours after his arrest late on Thursday night. He reportedly developed some health complication soon after he was sent to jail.

Accordingly, he was taken to the district hospital for check-up. Soon after his arrest, Sharanaru, who has been booked under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for sexually abusing two high school girls, was produced before a local court, which remanded him to 14 days' judicial custody, Chitradurga Superintendent of Police K Parashuram told reporters.

"After the order, he was taken to the hospital for medical examination and later sent to the jail," he said. The pontiff of one of the most prominent and influential Lingayat seminaries in the state was questioned at an undisclosed location by Deputy Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar, the investigation officer in the case. He was later taken to the district hospital for a medical checkup, and subsequently produced before the first additional district and sessions judge at her residence.

The judge remanded the seer to 14 days' judicial custody, following which he was sent to the district prison, the Chitradurga SP said. Along with the pontiff of Murugha Math, four others have been booked with one person working at the 'Santvana Kendra' (counselling centre by the Directorate of Women and Child Development Department), while another one has been arrested. Two others are still at large for whom a search is on, police sources said.

Parashuram said the police would apply for his police custody for more questioning. A group of advocates had on Thursday wrote to the Registrar General of the Karnataka High Court claiming that the investigation against the accused seer "is not being carried out in an unbiased, free and fair manner."

"He (the seer) has not even been summoned for investigation or his medical examination conducted. These lacunas in the investigation show that there is already prejudice caused on part of the investigation," the letter claimed.

It is alleged that the two girls, aged 15 and 16, studying in a school run by the math and residing in a hostel, also belonged to the monastery, were sexually abused. Apart from the POCSO Act and the SC/ST Act, cases have also been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the seer. In their letter, the group of advocates called for immediate intervention of the high court in monitoring the ongoing inquiry of the case in the interest of justice, so as to ensure fair and free investigations.

"The accused herein being an influential person not even being summoned by the investigating officer, let alone being arrested is utterly shocking," advocates Siddharth Bhupathi, Shreeram T Nayak, Ganesh Prasad B S, Ganesh V and Ponnanna K A said in the letter. Besides, the anticipatory bail plea moved by the seer was adjourned for today by a local court here. 

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News Network
December 4,2025

Mangaluru: Chaos erupted at Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) after IndiGo flight 6E 5150, bound for Mumbai, was repeatedly delayed and ultimately cancelled, leaving around 100 passengers stranded overnight. The incident highlights the ongoing country-wide operational disruptions affecting the airline, largely due to the implementation of new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms for crew.

The flight was initially scheduled for 9:25 PM on Tuesday but was first postponed to 11:40 PM, then midnight, before being cancelled around 3:00 AM. Passengers expressed frustration over last-minute communication and the lack of clarity, with elderly and ailing travellers particularly affected. “Though the airline arranged food, there was no proper communication, leaving us confused,” said one family member.

An IndiGo executive at MIA cited the FDTL rules, designed to prevent pilot fatigue by limiting crew working hours, as the cause of the cancellation. While alternative arrangements, including hotel stays, were offered, about 100 passengers chose to remain at the airport, creating tension. A replacement flight was arranged but also faced delays due to the same constraints, finally departing for Mumbai around 1:45 PM on Wednesday. Passengers either flew, requested refunds, or postponed their travel.

The Mangaluru delay is part of a broader crisis for IndiGo. The airline has been forced to make “calibrated schedule adjustments”—a euphemism for widespread cancellations and delays—after stricter FDTL norms came into effect on November 1.

While an IndiGo spokesperson acknowledged unavoidable flight disruptions due to technology issues, operational requirements, and the updated crew rostering rules, the DGCA has intervened, summoning senior airline officials to explain the chaos and outline corrective measures.

The ripple effect has been felt across the country, with major hubs like Bengaluru and Mumbai reporting numerous cancellations. The Mangaluru incident underscores the systemic operational strain currently confronting India’s largest carrier, leaving passengers nationwide grappling with uncertainty and delays.

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News Network
December 4,2025

Mangaluru: Chaos erupted at Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) after IndiGo flight 6E 5150, bound for Mumbai, was repeatedly delayed and ultimately cancelled, leaving around 100 passengers stranded overnight. The incident highlights the ongoing country-wide operational disruptions affecting the airline, largely due to the implementation of new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms for crew.

The flight was initially scheduled for 9:25 PM on Tuesday but was first postponed to 11:40 PM, then midnight, before being cancelled around 3:00 AM. Passengers expressed frustration over last-minute communication and the lack of clarity, with elderly and ailing travellers particularly affected. “Though the airline arranged food, there was no proper communication, leaving us confused,” said one family member.

An IndiGo executive at MIA cited the FDTL rules, designed to prevent pilot fatigue by limiting crew working hours, as the cause of the cancellation. While alternative arrangements, including hotel stays, were offered, about 100 passengers chose to remain at the airport, creating tension. A replacement flight was arranged but also faced delays due to the same constraints, finally departing for Mumbai around 1:45 PM on Wednesday. Passengers either flew, requested refunds, or postponed their travel.

The Mangaluru delay is part of a broader crisis for IndiGo. The airline has been forced to make “calibrated schedule adjustments”—a euphemism for widespread cancellations and delays—after stricter FDTL norms came into effect on November 1.

While an IndiGo spokesperson acknowledged unavoidable flight disruptions due to technology issues, operational requirements, and the updated crew rostering rules, the DGCA has intervened, summoning senior airline officials to explain the chaos and outline corrective measures.

The ripple effect has been felt across the country, with major hubs like Bengaluru and Mumbai reporting numerous cancellations. The Mangaluru incident underscores the systemic operational strain currently confronting India’s largest carrier, leaving passengers nationwide grappling with uncertainty and delays.

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News Network
November 22,2025

Mangaluru: Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H has warned of strict action against individuals spreading rumours and attempting to create insecurity within the Muslim community and fuel hatred between Hindus and Muslims through social media.

Referring to a recent social media post alleging that police personnel had entered a masjid premises to check whether beef was being cooked, the commissioner said miscreants were attempting to push their communal agenda. 

“A group of people, both from Mangaluru and abroad, are trying hard to spread rumours. For the past 10 days, they have been attempting to rake up old issues, highlight routine matters as controversies, or fabricate news altogether,” he said.

He reiterated that any such attempts to disturb communal harmony would invite legal action. “Cases will be registered and the accused will be brought to book,” he stated.

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