Greater Noida property dealer found dead at faith healer's ashram in Kanpur

KANPUR: A property dealer from Greater Noida was found dead at his room in the ashram of self-styled healer Santosh Singh Bhadauria alias Karauli Baba in Kanpur on Monday. The deceased, Devendra Singh Bhati (56), had reportedly reached the ashram in Ghatampur area of the city last week for lessons in yoga and was staying at a room on the campus. The room where his body was found was locked from inside.
The ashram staff broke open the door to enter Bhati's room when he didn't open it on Monday morning. After finding his body, they informed the police and the businessman's family members in Greater Noida. Thereafter, the body was sent for postmortem which was videographed.
Ghatampur ACP Devendra Kumar Shukla said that the cause of the death could not be ascertained and the viscera of the deceased had been preserved. "Also, we have not yet received any complaint from the family in this matter. If there is any complaint from the family, investigations will be launched and action will be taken." According to police sources, as per the staff in the ashram, Bhati's body was lying on the floor. "Traces of blood were found on the body when it was sent for postmortem. There was a scratch on the toe of the deceased while blood was oozing from the nose. Traces of saliva and blood were found on the right hand," police sources told TOI.
Bhati, a resident of Greater Noida's NSG Apartment, had reached the ashram in Kanpur five days ago. His family members who reached Kanpur from Greater Noida told the media that they had spoken to him on the phone on Sunday evening. "We have doubts about his sudden death," they added. Karauli Baba claims to cure major diseases through spiritual healing. People from far away places come to his ashram in large numbers. His ashram was in news recently, a doctor from Noida was allegedly beaten by his staff on February 22, 2023. On the instructions of Kanpur police commissioner BP Jogdand, an FIR was lodged against Bhadauria under sections 323, 504 and 325 of the Indian Penal Code. The investigation is still going on in this regard.