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Police Question Indian Guru and Find Arsenal in His Compound Police Question Indian Guru and Find Arsenal in His Compound
(about 5 hours later)
NEW DELHI — The police on Friday began questioning a self-styled Indian “godman” who spent more than a week barricaded inside his compound in northern India with about 15,000 followers, culminating in violent clashes when security forces tried to enter. NEW DELHI — The police on Friday began questioning a self-styled Indian “godman” who was seized after security forces stormed his compound in northern India, where he had barricaded himself with about 15,000 followers for more than a week. An extensive cache of weapons was found inside, the police said.
Baba Rampal Maharaj, 63, who claimed to be the reincarnation of a 15th-century mystic poet, had repeatedly resisted summons to respond to charges from 2006 of murder and incitement to violence. Early this week, the guru’s supporters lined the compound’s ramparts and pelted police officers with stones as they attempted to enter his 12-acre ashram in the city of Barwala in Haryana State, at one point breaking down a wall with a bulldozer. The guru, Baba Rampal Maharaj, 63, who claims to be the reincarnation of a 15th-century mystic poet, was arrested on Wednesday after a violent clash at his 12-acre compound in the city of Barwala in Haryana State. His supporters, lining the ramparts, pelted police officers with stones as they tried to enter, at one point using a bulldozer to break down a wall.
Scores were injured, and six of Mr. Rampal’s followers died under unclear circumstances during the standoff, which ended with his arrest on Wednesday. Scores were injured, and six of Mr. Rampal’s followers died under uncertain circumstances during the standoff.
His defense lawyer, who appeared in court on Thursday, argued that Mr. Rampal had been unable to appear earlier because he was being held hostage inside his compound. Mr. Rampal told reporters that the allegations against him that thousands of people were kept at the ashram against their wishes were false. Mr. Rampal had repeatedly resisted summonses to respond to charges of murder and incitement to violence dating to 2006. His defense lawyer, who appeared in High Court in Chandigarh, the state capital, on Thursday, argued that Mr. Rampal had been unable to appear earlier because he was being held hostage inside his compound, or ashram. Mr. Rampal told reporters that allegations that thousands of people had been kept at the ashram against their will were false.
“I never used women and children as hostages,” he told reporters.“I never used women and children as hostages,” he told reporters.
The police have registered two cases of murder based on complaints from family members and are investigating what caused the six deaths, said Anil Kumar Rao, the inspector general of the police in the Hisar District. The police have registered two cases of murder based on complaints from family members and are investigating what caused the six deaths, said Anil Kumar Rao, the inspector general of the police in the Hisar District, which includes Barwala.
Post-mortem examinations showed that two of the women had broken ribs, though they appeared to have died from a pre-existing illness, said a medical official from the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly. Postmortem examinations on the victims showed that two of them, both women, had broken ribs, though they appeared to have died from a pre-existing illness, said a medical official from the area, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.
Mr. Rao said searches of the compound had uncovered an extensive arsenal, including homemade bombs and firearms.Mr. Rao said searches of the compound had uncovered an extensive arsenal, including homemade bombs and firearms.
Since Mr. Rampal’s arrest, journalists have roamed through the guru’s vast compound, where he would deliver sermons in a hall the size of two football fields, and bless followers across a barrier of bulletproof glass from a brocade-covered chair known as the throne. The police told reporters that the chair was attached to a hydraulic lift that enabled him to appear from the basement, seemingly from nowhere, to the wonderment of his followers. Since Mr. Rampal’s arrest, journalists have roamed through the guru’s vast compound, where he would deliver sermons in a hall the size of two football fields, and bless followers across a barrier of bulletproof glass from a brocade-covered chair known as the throne. The police told reporters that the chair was attached to a hydraulic lift that enabled him to rise up from the basement, seemingly from nowhere, to the wonderment of his followers.
As they exited the ashram, some followers described eccentric forms of veneration that were practiced inside. Two men told The Indian Express, a daily newspaper, that during his meditations, Mr. Rampal was bathed in milk, which was later collected and used to prepare kheer, a kind of rice pudding, which was then fed to his followers. “The fruit of his meditation is present in the kheer,” a man who identified himself as Krishnan told the newspaper.As they exited the ashram, some followers described eccentric forms of veneration that were practiced inside. Two men told The Indian Express, a daily newspaper, that during his meditations, Mr. Rampal was bathed in milk, which was later collected and used to prepare kheer, a kind of rice pudding, which was then fed to his followers. “The fruit of his meditation is present in the kheer,” a man who identified himself as Krishnan told the newspaper.
The police said the guru lived in a five-story house with “granite tiles, marble floorings, fancy grills, strong doors, well-equipped bathrooms with modern fittings, split air-conditioners, flat-screen TVs and even massage beds,” according to IANS, a news service.The police said the guru lived in a five-story house with “granite tiles, marble floorings, fancy grills, strong doors, well-equipped bathrooms with modern fittings, split air-conditioners, flat-screen TVs and even massage beds,” according to IANS, a news service.
Gurus and mystics can be found throughout India, often providing services like hospitals and schools within the walls of their ashrams. Many of them cultivate relationships with political leaders, who use them to mobilize voters during elections, and attract wealthy and influential patrons. Gurus and mystics can be found throughout India, whose ashrams often include hospitals and schools within their walls. Many of them cultivate relationships with political leaders, who use them to mobilize voters during elections, and attract wealthy and influential patrons.