Andhra Pradesh has a witnessed heart-wrenching incident as a 15-year-old orphaned girl was allegedly raped multiple times by a seer over several months in the ashram he ran. The accused, Purnananda Saraswati, the administrator of the Gnanananda Ashram in Visakhapatnams Venkoji, was arrested on Monday night by the police based on an FIR (First Investigation Report) lodged by the teen victim in Vijayawada.FIR lodged against a seer for allegedly raping a teenager in the ashramThe complaint alleged that the accused, Saraswati had tortured and sexually assaulted her repeatedly, the police officials said.The teenage orphaned girl, who managed to escape from the ashram, reached the Vijayawada police station and registered an FIR against the seer, the police said.The police also said that her parents died when she was young and her maternal grandmother left her at the ashram two years ago. The victim also told the police that the children at the ashram were made to work at the goshala (Cowshed) and that some of them left the ashram unable to stand the ordeals inflicted on them.The 15-year-old shared her saddening story with her fellow passenger while travelling to Vijayawada after her escape, and the latter helped her lodge a complaint against the seer, Purnananda.Investigation is onSpeaking to the media, the police officer, Vivekananda said, “The police have taken up the investigation and Poornanda Saraswati has been taken into custody and interrogation is on.Further, the senior police officer said, “Purnananda Saraswati has been accused of raping a minor girl for the past several months inside the ashram, taking advantage of her situation since she has no parents or guardians. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act. He will be sent to judicial remand soon.”Ashram denies the allegationsDespite the serious allegations against Purnananda, the ashram members refuted the sexual assault charges, calling it a “conspiracy” to seize the ashrams valuable lands.According to media reports, over 9.5 acres of the ashrams land is under dispute. The accused told the police that the against him are planted by those eyeing the land.
