A woman in Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka, has lodged a complaint alleging that a local temple priest sexually assaulted her and threatened her into silence. The woman further claims that she is now pregnant as a result of the alleged assault.
According to the complaint filed with the Women’s Police Station in Chikkamagaluru on July 17, the woman stated that she had been visiting the Panjurli temple in Baskal for prayers due to illness. During these visits, she reportedly became acquainted with the temple priest, identified as Sridhar. The complainant alleges that the priest subsequently assaulted her repeatedly and issued threats to prevent her from disclosing the incidents.
The police have registered a case based on the woman’s complaint and have initiated a search for the accused priest.
This incident follows a previous report from February 4, 2026, where a priest in Mudigere, also within the Chikkamagaluru district, was booked for rape. In that case, the priest was accused of exploiting a woman’s concerns about her marriage prospects by assuring her he could resolve perceived flaws in her horoscope. The woman alleged that the priest sexually assaulted her multiple times between November 2025 and February 2026 under the guise of performing rituals.
Further underscoring the persistent nature of such allegations in the region, reports from July 2023 detailed the arrest of a church priest, Father Francis Fernandes, in Shivamogga, Karnataka. He was accused of sexually assaulting a minor girl and subsequently sent to 14 days of judicial custody. The case involved charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, following protests by the community to which the victim belonged.
Additionally, in September 2024, a yoga guru in Chikkamagaluru, Pradeep Ullal, was arrested on charges of raping a non-resident Indian woman. The woman alleged that Ullal manipulated her with spiritual talk and convinced her of a past-life connection before sexually assaulting her, leading to a miscarriage.
The Chenab Times News Desk