Vizag: Swami Poornananda Held for Allegedly Raping Minor Girl Inmate in Ashram

Visakhapatnam: 63-year-old Swami Poornananda, the head of a city-based ashram, was arrested by Visakhapatnam police for allegedly raping a minor inmate of his orphanage in the ashram. 

The police made the arrest after receiving a complaint from a 15-year-old girl who accused the head of the ashram of torturing and repeatedly raping her in the Swami Gnanananda Ashram located at Venkojipalem here. 

The case was registered at the Disha Police Station in the city. Assistant Commissioner of Police Vivekananda said Swami Poornananda has been booked under Section 376 of IPC (punishment for rape) and relevant section under POCSO Act. The victim girl has been sent to a hospital in Vijayawada for medical tests, the police officer said. 

The victim girl claimed she was sent to the orphanage in the ashram after she completed Class 5. She alleged that the inmates at the ashram are subjected to ill treatment by the caretakers. The victim girl allegedly escaped the ashram and shared her ordeal with a fellow passenger while travelling to Vijayawada. Reports suggest there were 12 orphans in the ashram including four girls. Meanwhile, the members of the ashram have denied the allegations that the complainant girl was sexually exploited by the ashram head.  

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