A self-styled godman, who allegedly raped a 14-year-old girl in Guruvayur, Kerala, was arrested on Tuesday. The mother of the minor girl, who forced her to attend prayer classes conducted by the godman, was also arrested after the girl's father registered a police complaint.

The accused, Pradeep Menon, is an engineering graduate. He had established Hare Krishna Satsang in Guruvayur two years ago, according to Manorama News.

The girl's mother, whose husband was working abroad, was reportedly a frequent visitor to the bhajan sessions. On 18 April, she came along with her daughter, who was forcefully given beer under the pretence that it was holy water before she was sexually assaulted, reports said.

The Class Nine student informed her father about the incident. However, when he came home and sought an answer from his wife, she eloped with the 'godman', reports said.

The godman and the woman were arrested on 11 August after the father filed a complaint with Guruvayur Superindentent of Police R Jayachandran. They were produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate court at Chavakkad later on Tuesday and were remanded to 14 days in judicial custody.

They were charged under IPC section 354 (assault or use of force on a woman with an intent to outrage her modesty) and sections 7 and 8 of the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act, 2012, according to PTI.

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(with agency inputs)