A Hindu holy man castrated himself in India on Wednesday following the
arrest of popular preacher Asaram Bapu, revered by millions across the
country for his sermons on enlightenment.
Police have charged the 72-year old guru with raping a 16-year-old schoolgirl at one of his ashrams, or religious centers, in August.
Authorities in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh found Baba Premdas, a 60-year old follower of Bapu, bleeding
at his home in Amethi from apparently self-inflicted wounds, city
police chief Alankrita Singh told CNN. Premdas was admitted to a local
hospital and then taken to a bigger health facility for surgery where
his condition "is stable", said Singh.
Asked whether his act was related to the arrest of Asaram Bapu, Singh
added, "We have heard such things, but all this is unconfirmed."
"Some say it was because of Bapu's arrest," said Singh to AFP earlier,
"some say it was because he feared ending up in Bapu's situation. No one
knows."
Bapu has denied the sexual assault allegations leveled by the teenage
girl and her parents, both devotees of the guru. The elderly preacher
has also claimed he is physically incapable of rape but police say
medical tests show him to be in good shape.
"The team of doctors is saying
he is perfectly, medically, mentally and physically fit," said Ajayal
Lamba, Deputy Commissioner of Police in Jodhpur.
Bapu, also referred to as the "godman" in local Indian media, is currently in jail awaiting trial.
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