Odisha godmen, ashrams on police watch list

A number of recent incidents have prompted the Odisha Police to keep a close watch on the self-styled godmen and their ashrams located in different districts in the state, particularly in the coastal belt.

These incidents include the arrest of controversial godman Baba Sarathi as well as the two hardcore criminals from Bihar who were hiding in an ashram on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar since last several years. 

The two most wanted criminals, Abhay Shah and Manjit Shah, both residence of Samastipur in Bihar, had taken shelter in Trahi Achyuta ashram,   came to light when a special task force of the Bihar Police nabbed both of them from Bhubaneswar with the help of the city police. 
Both had reportedly become devotees of the ashram’s self-styled godman Baba Surendra and were serving in the ashram as drivers.

Both the criminals were involved in major crimes in the state including murder, kidnapping, extortion and loot. Cases had been registered against them in more than 12 police stations in Bihar.

They had taken shelter in Trahi Achyuta ashram for more than 15 years after absconding from their home state. Now the question is how the ashram could give shelter to the criminal duo for so many years without checking their credentials. The Bhubaneswar police is investigating into it.

The city police have also become more alert following an intelligence report that nearly five hundred criminals from different states could be hiding in the ashrams in and around the city.