gDistrict Collector Debaraj Senapati, acting on a written appeal of Aul MlA Debendra Sharma, has directed the SP to probe the alleged escapades of godman Sarathi Baba. Palpable tension erupted near the Baba’s ashram after a private TV channel aired footages of Sarathi Baba’s stay in a star hotel in Hyderabad where the self-declared saint was seen sporting jeans, T-shirt and sun glasses. The channel said that Sarathi Baba in disguise spent three nights in the hotel with a girl and took non-vegetarian meals and liquor.
Soon, hundreds of Baba followers were seen streaming into his ashram to see if he was there or not. The Baba’s effigy was also burnt at several places, while his ashram was vandalised at Angul.
Keeping the gravity of the situation, a platoon of police was deployed at Sarathi ashram in Kendrapada. The police personnel also resorted to a mild lathicharge to disperse an irate mob which was protesting against the self-proclaimed godman’s clandestine activities. Taking advantage of darkness, the irate mob pelted stones at the police personnel deployed in front of the ashram gate, stated Kendrapada SDPO Purna Chandra Pradhan.
Earlier, on Wednesday morning, hundreds of locals with the help of Bajrang Dal activists burnt tyre on Gulnagar-Indupur Road in front of Sarathi ashram near Barimula and also burnt the effigy of Sarathi. later, the irate mob destroyed the hoarding of the ashram.
In order to maintain law and order, one Additional SP, four DSPs and three Inspectors and more than two platoons of police force were deployed in and outside the ashram premises on Wednesday. Derabish Tehsildar Sumitra Patnaik was deployed in the area as the Executive Magistrate to keep vigil. All the gates of the ashram were locked and people were prevented from entering the premises.
Meanwhile, after remaining silent for some time, the Baba organized a press meet at his ashram on Wednesday evening and informed that the allegations against him were false and fabricated. The photos aired were not his and it was an attempt to malign him. He said he had not gone to Hyderabad at all. Sarathi also said that he was ready to face any type of inquiry. He lamented that some people jealous of his popularity were dragging him into controversy on one count or other. He sought to know why he was targeted by these people most often. “It hurts me when the media has been addressing me as ‘Bhanda (fake) Sarathi’. Is it the culture of our country to address a saint as ‘Bhanda’ Baba even when the allegations were not provedIJ” Sarathi asked.