Bengaluru, September 3: The Chikkamagaluru police in Karnataka have arrested Pradeep Ullal, a 54-year-old yoga guru, on charges of raping a foreign woman by convincing her that they had a relationship in a previous birth. Ullal, who runs the Kevala Foundation in Chikkamagaluru, was apprehended on Sunday after the victim, a non-resident Indian (NRI) woman, lodged a complaint.
Indian Express reported that the woman, originally from Punjab but residing in California since 2000, had been taking online yoga classes from Ullal. According to her complaint, she visited Ullal in Chikkamagaluru three times between 2021 and 2022. During these visits, Ullal allegedly manipulated her with talks of "spirituality, energy work, and divine love," and convinced her that they were connected from a previous life. The woman claimed that Ullal sexually assaulted her during these visits, leading to a pregnancy that eventually resulted in a miscarriage. Ghaziabad Horror: Father Allegedly Rapes Daughter for Five Years, Gets Her Hair Cut and Aborts Her First Pregnancy After She Gets Pregnant; Arrested (Watch Video).
The Chikkamagaluru rural police have charged Ullal under Section 376(2)(n) of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to repeated rape of the same woman. Uttarakhand Shocker: Cleric Forces Little Girls to Watch Porn Videos, Rapes Them After Scaring With Djinn Stories in Rudrapur; Arrested.
A police officer involved in the case revealed that Ullal had previously lived in Dubai, where he began teaching yoga before returning to India in 2010. He then purchased three acres of land in Chikkamagaluru and established his yoga foundation.
Ullal’s operations were primarily online, attracting a significant number of students, and he also organized trips to the Himalayas and bird-watching events. The police are continuing their investigation into the case, while Ullal remains in custody.
Women and Child Helpline Numbers:
Childline India – 1098; Missing Child and Women – 1094; Women’s Helpline – 181; National Commission for Women Helpline – 112; National Commission for Women Helpline Against Violence – 7827170170; Police Women and Senior Citizen Helpline – 1091/1291.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 03, 2024 05:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).