Karnataka Lingayat Seer Acquitted in Minor Sexual Assault Case: Court Dismisses POCSO Charges

Nov 26, 2025 07:52 pm CST

A Karnataka sessions court has acquitted Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, the influential head of Chitradurga's Sri Murugha Mutt, in one of two POCSO cases involving allegations of sexually assaulting minor girls. The prominent Lingayat religious leader, who was initially arrested in September 2022 and spent 14 months in custody, had been accused by students from the mutt's school. Medical examinations reportedly contradicted claims of long-term abuse.