Karnataka 'godman' arrested for force-feeding cow dung to Latur girl

Maharashtra has a law to deal with superstitious practices that take place within the state.

The Maharashtra police have arrested a self-styled godman in Karnataka for force-feeding cow dung to a Latur girl. The 82-year-old man was arrested from Bidar recently for his bizarre 'treatment'.

Mallappa Kareppa Mungale, a black magic practitioner was arrested from his ashram in Koutha on the Bidar- Aurad road amid stiff opposition from his followers. The Latur police traced Mungale to Bidar after recording statements of those already arrested in the case. In June, a video of a girl from Latur being forced to consume cow dung had gone viral. The superstition came as a massive embarrassment to Maharashtra that has a strong anti-superstitious belief law.

Mungale, a self-styled godman was approached by the girl's family to 'cure' her of black magic. The girl was brought to his ashram in Bidar where Mungale asked family members to feed her cow dung and thrash her if she refused. The video of the inhumane 'treatment' went viral.

The Maharashtra police who arrested five people including a woman under the anti-superstition law could not apply the same to Mungale since the crime had taken place in Bidar. The godman was arrested recently on charges of wrongful restraint and wrongful confinement to extort property or constrain to illegal act after getting the court's permission.

The defiant godman is said to have told the police that the girl was possessed and he only treated her. He also told the police that he cured people by his touch and had been treating patients for 40 years. A charge sheet is likely to be filed against the godman in ten days.

OneIndia News