Venkataramana Temple head priest Narasimha Acharya booked over harassment to daughter-in-law

Mangaluru

M. Narasimha Acharya, the head priest of the Venkataramana Temple at Carstreet, Mangaluru, has been named as an accused along with his wife, daughters and son in a case filed by his 22-year-old daughter-in-law, who has alleged prolonged mental and physical harassment, humiliation and assault during her pregnancy, according to an FIR registered by the Mangaluru Women Police.

The case, registered as Crime No. 37/2026 on August 25, names six accused, including the woman’s husband Raghavendra Acharya, his father M. Narasimha Acharya, mother Gayathri Acharya and sisters Vaishali, Kshama and Aishwarya Acharya. The FIR invokes Sections 85, 115(2), 352 and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

According to the complaint, the woman married Raghavendra Acharya, a resident of Car Street, Mangaluru, on December 22, 2024. She alleged that she was subjected to mental and physical harassment by her husband and his family after the marriage.

The FIR accessed by blrpost.com alleged that her in-laws repeatedly insulted her using abusive language and humiliated her in front of others. The FIR stated that her name was forcibly changed to “Shree Devi Raghavendra Acharya” and that she was prevented from participating in religious activities.

She also alleged that her husband, who travelled to different places to conduct religious programmes, was maintaining contact with several other women. According to the FIR, she came across these interactions while checking his mobile phone and alleged that he was involved in illicit relationships with other women.

The woman said she continued with the marriage hoping that her husband would change. She alleged that when she complained to his family, they assured her that they would counsel him. However, according to the complaint, his alleged conduct continued.

The complainant further alleged that when she questioned her husband about his conduct, he assaulted her despite knowing that she was pregnant. She alleged that he subjected her to both physical and mental harassment without considering her health condition.

The FIR refers to an alleged incident on February 8, 2026, when the woman questioned her husband over allegedly obscene messages sent to other women. She alleged that he slapped her in response.

She further alleged that after childbirth, her husband failed to properly care for her or the child, while her mother-in-law, father-in-law and sisters-in-law continued to subject her to humiliation and mental harassment.

The FIR lists Raghavendra Acharya as A1, M. Narasimha Acharya as A2, Gayathri Acharya as A3, Vaishali Acharya as A4, Kshama Acharya as A5 and Aishwarya Acharya as A6. All are listed as residents of Car Street, Mangaluru.