Karwar, July 17 -- In a major breakthrough, Murudeshwar police in Uttara Kannada district have arrested a man accused of running a fake online lottery scam using the name of the famous Murudeshwar Temple and cheating unsuspecting people of lakhs of rupees.

The accused has been identified as Narasingh Venkatrao Tagarbide (32), a resident of Alibaingaon village in Bhalki taluk of Bidar district. Police said he was employed at a hotel and allegedly operated the fraud through social media.

Fake FB, Instagram accounts created

According to investigators, the accused created fake Facebook and Instagram accounts in the name of the Murudeshwar Temple chairman and used photographs of the temple to make the pages appear authentic. He circulated a...