3 held for attempting to make woman Devadasi in Koppal

KOPPAL: The case wherein a 22-year-old woman was tied with pearls to make her a Devadasi six months ago has come to light recently. Police have arrested three of the woman's family members, and sent the former to a care centre here.
Poornima Elubavi, Devadasi Rehabilitation Project Officer, Koppal, told TOI that she got information from villagers two days ago.
"We went and collected the details. We are told that the parents of the woman convinced her, saying her illness will be cured if she became a Devadasi. They performed rituals at Huligi Huligemma Temple premises without informing the temple authorities. We have filed a case at Munirabad police station," she added.
Koppal SP Arunangshu Giri stated that Munirabad police have arrested the girl's father, mother and elder sister. "We have registered a case under Section 5 of Karnataka Devadasis (Prohibition of Dedication) Act-1982, and the offence is cognizable and non-bailable. The accused have been sent in judicial custody. Another accused is absconding," he added.
However, a question - as to how could such a ritual happen in a temple premises coming under Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department - is doing the rounds.
Chandalinga Kalalbandi, president of Vimukta Devadasi Mahila Vedike, Kushtagi, said it is a shame on the part of the administration that a case is registered several months after the incident.
"Ritual of tying pearls will take time. But still, the temple authorities could not notice it. The incident happened in a district of which endowment minister Shashikala Jolle is in charge," he rued.
Minister Jolle was unavailable for comment, either on phone or on message.