Killer baba! Manindra Maharaj arrested for killing disciple

Jalaun, Dec 27  The police on Friday arrested Baba Manindra Maharaj, who heads the ‘Ninavali Sarkar’ ashram in Jalaun in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly killing his disciple.

Deputy Superintendent of Police R.P. Singh said “The body of Ravishankar Pandey aka Kallu, 23, a disciple of Manindra Maharaj, was found in Ninavali Sarkar ashram on Thursday with a bullet wound. A murder case was registered against Manindra Maharaj on Thursday itself, on a complaint of Brahmaprakash, father of the deceased. He was arrested from his home on Friday.”

“The service revolver of a sub-inspector, deployed for the security of Baba, from which the bullet is alleged to have fired, has been seized and sent for forensic investigation. The police has also recommended for the suspension of the sub-inspector Rajendra,” he said.

The youth was serving in the ashram for the last three years. A sub-inspector and some constables were deployed for the security of Manindra Maharaj.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Satish Kumar said, “According to the complaint of the father of the deceased, Baba shot his son with a sub-inspector’s service revolver. He also said that for the last few days some differences had emerged between his son and Baba. Baba wanted to remove his son from the ashram but he didn’t want to leave the ashram.”

A case has been registered against Manindra Maharaj under section 302 of the IPC on the basis of the complaint filed by the father of the deceased, said Kumar.

The police said Manindra Maharaj, his wife, five children and a few disciples lived in the ashram. The ashram has been vacated after the incident and the police has been deployed there.