Bengaluru yoga trainer Niranjana Murthy held for sexually assaulting minor girl; booked under POCSO Act

BENGALURU: A yoga trainer has been arrested in connection with the sexual harassment of a minor girl, police said on Thursday. The accused, Niranjana Murthy, has been running a yoga centre in Rajarajeshwari Nagar for several years and is also secretary of the Karnataka Yogasana Sports Association (KYSA). The complainant told police that she has known Murthy since 2019. She began taking part in yoga competitions in 2021 and, in 2023, travelled with him to Thailand for an event. At that time, she was 17 years old. "During this trip, Niranjana Murthy allegedly sexually harassed her. After this incident, the complainant stopped participating in yoga competitions," police said. The girl later rejoined yoga training in 2024 at the Sunshine Institute, also run by Murthy. She alleged that from then on, he continued to harass her. According to her complaint, in August 2025 Murthy lured her with promises of winning a medal at the national-level yoga competition and securing a placement, and had physical contact with her. On August 22, he allegedly tried again under the pretext of arranging a state-level placement, police said. A case was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, following which Murthy went into hiding. Police said a sustained search operation led to his arrest, and the investigation is ongoing.(With agency inputs)