With Rajasthan police yet to arrest Asaram Bapu, the father of the 16-year-old victim sat on fast unto death demanding action against the self-styled Godman, in Shahjahenpur on Saturday morning. He was also reportedly given life threats. Earlier the family of the victim has deserted their home in Shahjahenpur fearing threat to their lives from the supporters of the controversial Guru.
Reports said that the father of the girl along with over two dozen other local residents in Azeezganj locality of Kotwali area in Shahjahenpur sat of dharna demanding immediate arrest of the accused, on Saturday morning. Denying the charges of the Asaram that allegations made by his daughter were framed to malign image of the Godman, he said that why he will ruin the carrier of his child just to defame the guru who was involved in such a shameful act. He claimed that until the accused will be arrested he will not take anything to eat.
The hapless father further said that self styled godman has not just leveled false allegations on him that entire conspiracy was hatched by him but Asaram’s supporters had also gave him life threats. Rs Rs The supporters called him on his telephone on Saturday and threatened him with dire consequences if he will not immediately withdraw the charges", disclosed the father before the media persons claiming that he will do anything to get justice for his daughter. He informed about it to local police who were now looking into the matter. Police force was also deployed in the area to avert any untoward incident.
It may be mentioned that earlier on August 23, one of the relatives of the victim had apprised the media persons that the family is scared and took a hide fearing an attack from the supporters of Asaram Bapu. When some media persons reached the residence of the teenager at Azeezganj locality of Shahjahenpur, they were surprised to found a lock. Their neighbours and one of the kin who was living in the same locality confirmed that the family is apprehending attack on them any time hence they locked the house and left for some unknown destination to save their lives from followers of Asaram Bapu.
The victim happens to be the daughter of a transporter, who gave away his land for the ashram at Chandapur locality. Also, the girl's father was a sincere follower of Asaram Bapu. The disciples of Asaram, however, rebuffed the rape charges against their Guru, saying it is a mere conspiracy to defame him. Delhi Police have recently filed a case against the self- proclaimed Godman on the complaint of a 16-year-old girl that he had sexually assaulted her in a Jodhpur Ashram recently. The teenage girl along with her parents went to
Kamla Market police station in New Delhi and gave a written complaint against the 74-year-old spiritual guru of sexually assaulting her. 'After sexual assault was confirmed in the medical examination of the girl, a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at Kamla Market police station. As the incident took place in Rajasthan, we have moved the case to Jodhpur,' a police official had confirmed. Asaram had invited sharp criticism a few months ago after he suggested that the Delhi gang rape victim was equally responsible for the crime and said the girl could have called her assailants brothers and begged them to stop. Asaram and his son were also being investigated in the mysterious deaths of two boys, whose decomposed bodies were found from the banks of Sabarmati River near his ashram in 2008.