Belagavi: Police arrested Lokeshwar Swami, 30, of Ram Mandir Mutt in Mekhali village of Raibag taluk on Friday in a Pocso case. On May 13, Lokeshwar Swami allegedly took the girl in his car while she was returning home.He threatened to kill her if she made a fuss and took her to various places, including Bagalkot and Raichur, and sexually assaulted her. On May 16, he left her at the bus stand in Mahalingpur city of the Bagalkot district.According to Mudalagi police, the girl’s father filed a complaint at Bagalkot Women’s police station on May 21. Bagalkot Women’s police station officer transferred the case to Mudalagi police station as the abduction area falls under its jurisdiction. The accused was arrested by Mudalagi police.Lokeshwar Shabanna Bhangi, a resident of Chittapur in Kalaburagi district, established a Ram Mandir Mutt on 10 acres of govt land in Mekhali village in Raibag taluk 4 years ago. The officials of the taluk administration said that the Ram Mandir Mutt, which was illegally constructed on govt land in Mekhali village, was brought to the notice of the deputy commissioner. The Mekhali villagers informed that the seer also built a Krishna Mutt in Hanjanatti village in Chikodi taluk.
