Delhi 'baba's' ashrams in UP raided, 40 women found

Police conducted raids at the ashrams of the absconding Delhi 'baba' Virendra Dev Dixit in Uttar Pradesh and found 40 women, including some minors.

According to police sources here on Saturday, the cops raided the ashrams of the 'baba' in Farrukhabad and Banda towns in the past 24 hours after tip-off that some women might have been held hostage there. The cops also suspected that the 'baba', who had been absconding after several women were rescued from a spiritual university run by him a few days back, might also be hiding there.

The ashram at Banda was raided on Friday, sources said, adding that eight women were found living there. The 'baba' was not found there. Nothing objectionable was found at the ashram, sources said.

Police teams on Saturday conducted raids at Dixit's Farrukhabad ashram, about 300 km from here, and found 33 women, including some minors. Three of the women hailed from Nepal, sources said.

Literature, x-ray films

Sources said that the police had also recovered some literature and x-ray films from the premises. ''The articles recovered from the ashram would be sent for forensic examination,'' said a senior police official in Farrukhabad.

A few women were also taken to the police station for questioning, sources said.  

Police were trying to ascertain if the absconding 'baba' owned more ashrams in the state.