Daijiworld Media Network - Ratnagiri
Ratnagiri, Oct 15: Bhagwan Kokare Maharaj, head of Warkari Gurukul in Ratnagiri, and teacher Pritesh Prabhakar Kadam have been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor female student. A case has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The victim, enrolled at the Gurukul on June 12, alleged that Kokare began assaulting her after a week, while Kadam reportedly threatened her to remain silent, warning that Kokare’s connections could harm her family and education.
The student confided in her father on Monday, leading to a police complaint. Both accused are in two-day police custody.
MLA Bhaskar Jadhav of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) expressed concern that more students may have been targeted and promised to expose politicians linked to Kokare.
Authorities are investigating the extent of the alleged abuse at the Gurukul.