Venkataramana temple trust suspend Narasimha Acharya from all duties

Temple trust takes firm stand after harassment case is registered against the head priest, his son and other family members

Mangaluru

The management of the Venkataramana Temple at Car Street, Mangaluru, has suspended its head priest M. Narasimha Acharya and his son Raghavendra Acharya from temple duties following the registration of an FIR over allegations of harassment levelled by Acharya’s 22-year-old daughter-in-law.

The decision by the temple trust marks a significant development in the case, with the management taking a firm stand against the father-son duo after they were named among six accused in the FIR registered by the Mangaluru Women Police.

Narasimha Acharya, the head priest of the temple, has been named as the second accused in Crime No. 37/2026, registered on August 25. His son Raghavendra Acharya, the complainant’s husband, has been named as the first accused.

The complainant has alleged prolonged mental and physical harassment, humiliation and assault during her pregnancy. Apart from the father-son duo, Narasimha Acharya’s wife Gayathri Acharya and daughters Vaishali, Kshama and Aishwarya Acharya have also been named as accused.

Following the FIR, the temple trust has now suspended Narasimha Acharya and Raghavendra Acharya from performing temple-related duties. The action assumes significance as Narasimha Acharya, as the head priest, has been closely associated with the religious and ritual activities of the prominent Venkataramana Temple.

The FIR invokes Sections 85, 115(2), 352 and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

According to the complaint, the woman married Raghavendra Acharya, a resident of Car Street, 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 complainant alleged that she was repeatedly humiliated and abused by her in-laws. According to the FIR, her name was forcibly changed to “Shree Devi Raghavendra Acharya”, and she was allegedly prevented from participating in religious activities.

She also accused her husband of maintaining contact with other women and alleged that she came across messages on his mobile phone which, according to her, indicated that he was involved in relationships with them.

The woman further alleged that when she questioned her husband about his conduct, he assaulted her despite knowing that she was pregnant. The FIR also refers to an alleged incident on February 8, 2026, when she questioned him over allegedly obscene messages sent to other women. She alleged that he slapped her.

She further alleged that even after childbirth, she and her child were not properly cared for and that her husband and his family continued to subject her to humiliation and mental harassment.

While the allegations in the complaint are subject to investigation, the temple trust has moved swiftly on the administrative front by suspending Narasimha Acharya and Raghavendra Acharya from their duties. The decision is being seen as a clear indication that the trust does not want the father-son duo to continue performing religious duties while the criminal case is under investigation.