Bengaluru, Sep 18 : A yoga instructor has been arrested on the charges of raping a minor girl in Bengaluru, police said on Thursday.

The 17-year-old girl has filed a police complaint, alleging rape.

DCP West S. Girish said police have filed a case against the accused, who ran a yoga centre in the R.R. Nagar area under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).

The accused used his position to sexually assault the minor, promising to help her win an international medal.

After the complaint was lodged, police began a manhunt for the accused and arrested him.

Police investigation revealed that the yoga instructor was also involved in the rape of 10 to 15 women who attended classes at his yoga centre.

The police have seized his mobile phone and are urging other victims to come forward and file a complaint. A video related to the crime was also recovered, and more women are expected to file complaints against him, according to police sources.

More details are yet to emerge regarding the incident.

Earlier, on August 6, a 22-year-old Moulvi was arrested by Karnataka Police in connection with the alleged rape of a five-year-old girl in the state's Belagavi district. The police stated that the incident, which took place in 2023, came to light after CCTV footage went viral on social media.

In May, a self-proclaimed pontiff from Karnataka's Belagavi was arrested for allegedly kidnapping and raping a minor girl.

According to reports, the incident occurred on May 13, when the minor girl was returning from a relative's house. The accused, claiming he would safely drop her home, instead lured her to a lodge in Raichur. There, he allegedly held her for two days and raped her. He later took her to another lodge in Bagalkot, where he continued to abuse her sexually, the reports said.

/IANS