Minor girl sexually exploited for financial gains; father among 12 arrested in Karnataka’s Chikkamagaluru

A man who allegedly forced his minor daughter into prostitution was arrested along with 11 others, including the girl’s grandmother, in Karnataka’s Chikkamagaluru district on Wednesday.

According to the police, the minor girl had been living with relatives following her mother’s death and later returned to her father after completing her schooling. In December 2025, her father allegedly took the girl to her grandmother’s house, where she stayed briefly. She was later sent back again on the pretext of another visit, during which the alleged exploitation took place.

The police said that a man identified as Bharat Shetty frequently visited the grandmother’s house and gradually developed a close association with both the father and the daughter. With the father’s consent, Shetty later took the minor girl to Mangaluru. During the journey, the girl reportedly told her father that she was feeling uncomfortable, but her concerns were allegedly disregarded.