Repeatedly raped, tortured: 2 more 'sadhvis' accuse 'mahants' of exploitation

LUCKNOW: Two more sadhvis or female followers have come forward with rape and torture allegations against the three ashram mahants – self-appointed godmen and ashram chiefs – in Uttar Pradesh's Basti district.

Yesterday, two sadhvis allegedly that they were gang-raped for over 10 days by a group of mahants within the ashram premises.

All the four women claim that they were repeatedly raped by Sachidanand and his two aides. 

The accused mahants have reportedly been pressurising for a while. On refusing their advances, the men held the women hostage inside the ashram.

The accused persons are now absconding. An FIR lodged has been.

Managing to escape from the ashram, the women filed a case against at Basti police station on Tuesday. The women have been sent for the medical check-up, said Basti SP Sankalp Sharma.

“We received a complaint of sexual exploitation of a few women at an Ashram by the men there. We have lodged an FIR and legal proceedings are being followed. We'll take further action as per the findings,” said Sharma.

#UttarPradesh: 4 women devotees of an Ashram in Basti leveled allegations against a Baba Sachidanand of the ashram and his two aides for raping and torturing them repeatedly, accused absconding. FIR lodged. pic.twitter.com/uiw9rWTTAP — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 20, 2017

The sadhvis have been living in the ashram since 2008.

“I am from Chhattisgarh. I came here in 2008 at the age of 12. I was naive and didn't know what was being done with me. When I refused to do anything, I was raped by 3 'babas' here. I was kept captive, beaten up and repeatedly raped,” said one of the victims.

The self-appointed godmen have several ashrams across India.