Godman’ Sarathi Baba here has faced some serious charges, starting from encroaching village road and cremation ground to spreading blind belief and superstition and providing shelter to criminals.
The charges have been levelled against the Baba, who has now managed to have thousands of fans and followers across the State for his devotional discourses, by none other than his co-villagers of Barimula.Recently, the villagers met district Collector Pramod Kumar Das demanding action against the Baba. They also sought immediate restoration of traffic near the Baba’s Sarathi Ashram. The locals told the Collector that Santosh Kumar Raul alias Sarathi Baba has been living at Barimula village for more than 20 years. If the locals object to his questionable activities at his ashram, he deploys goons to teach them a lesson. He has unleashed a reign of terror because of his close proximity to known criminals, they alleged.
The villagers also alleged that the Baba has constructed many rooms at his ashram where the criminals are sheltered.The villagers said that due to visit of hundreds of people to the ashram, the road is getting jammed as vehicles are parked there illegally. This is causing great inconvenience to the locals. They said a fellow villager, Basant Kumar Patra, a heart patient, died as the ambulance carrying him failed to reach hospital because of road jam.
Meanwhile, reports said the district Collector has taken a serious note of the allegations by the villagers. He has taken up the matter with SP Satish Kumar Gajabhiye for a joint inquiry. Two weeks ago, he had also asked a tehsildar-level probe into the irregularities and has got a report. However, Sarat Patra, a close associate of the Baba, rubbished the allegations by the villagers and welcomed any inquiry. He said some people are jealous of the Baba for his growing popularity and clout.