Ashram organiser arrested for sexual assault on minor girl in Visakhapatnam

VISAKHAPATNAM: Swami Poornananda Saraswathi, who runs Gnanananda Ramananda Ashram in Venkojipalem in Visakhapatnam, was arrested late Monday night on the charge of sexually assaulting a minor girl in his ashram.

He was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, 2012 by the DISHA police and further investigation is going on. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ch Vivekananda said that the victim, who is believed to be around 15 years old, was a native of Gandepalli village near Rajamahendravaram. The girl lost her parents at a young age and joined the ashram at the age of 12.

The girl alleged that the swamiji sexually assaulted her for the last two years. Unable to bear the harassment, the victim escaped from the ashram on June 13, 2023 and reached Child Welfare Committee (CWC) Vijayawada. During her journey, the victim came across a family who supported her and tried to put her up in a hostel. But the hostel management refused to admit her and suggested to her to bring a clearance certificate from the police.

At CWC, the victim narrated her tale of horror and the harassment she faced in the ashram. As advised by the CWC officials, she lodged a complaint against the swamiji. Subsequently, the police registered a zero FIR and arrested the swamiji before carrying out inspections at the ashram, the ACP said. Later, the victim was sent to the government hospital for a medical examination. Meanwhile, Swami Poornananda Saraswathi dismissed the allegations leveled against him by the girl. “It was purely a conspiracy against me to grab the lands owned by the ashram. I will wage a legal battle on the issue,” Swamiji said.

The swamiji also said that, once there were around 1,500 children in the ashram but now there were only 12. A few people intentionally leveled allegations against him while he was doing spiritual service, he claimed.