The 'baba', identified as Siyaram Das, was arrested on Tuesday after the victim, who had been held hostage at the 'ashram', managed to inform the police about her plight. Image for representation only
Yet another 'baba' has been arrested in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly sexually exploiting a woman in the state's Sitapur district, about 100 kilometres from here.
According to the police sources here, the 'baba', identified as Siyaram Das, who had an 'ashram' (mutt) in the temple town of Naimisharanya in the district, was arrested on Tuesday after the victim, who had been held hostage at the 'ashram', managed to inform the police about her plight.
Police said that the woman had been ''sold'' to the baba by an acquaintance of his and had been held hostage at the 'ashram' for the past eight months. On Tuesday, the woman managed to give the slip to the security guards at the 'ashram' and called the cops at the local police station.
A police team later raided the 'ashram' and rescued the woman. The victim told the cops that she was kept under round the clock surveillance by the baba's security guards and was not allowed to go out of the 'ashram'.
The 'baba', according to sources also owned several educational institutions and had considerable influence over political leaders from the district. He also owned land worth several crores, sources said.
Police sources said that during interrogation, thebaba admitted to sexually exploiting the woman.
Barely a few days back a baba had been arrested at Barsana in UP's Mathura district on charges of raping a physically challenged woman disciple from West Bengal.
A team of West Bengal police arrested the baba after the victim managed to escape from there and reach her native village in that state and lodged a complaint.