Three sadhvis allege rape at gunpoint on Bihar ashram premises
The sadhvis have told the police in Govindpur, 117km south of state capital Patna, in their complaint that the five sewadars or volunteers of the Sant Kutir Ashram raped them on December 12.
Three women religious preachers have alleged they were raped at gunpoint by five volunteers at an ashram last month in south Bihar’s Nawada district, police said on Friday.
The sadhvis have told the police in Govindpur, 117km south of state capital Patna, in their complaint that the five sewadars or volunteers of the Sant Kutir Ashram raped them on December 12.
They said that they had been staying at the ashram at Barahiya Mor, 10km from Govindpur police station, for the last six years.
“On December 12, when we were cooking food, the five accused forcibly entered our room and raped us at gunpoint. They also fired in the air when we resisted,” they said.
“We left for West Bengal out of fear after the incident. However, some people in the ashram convinced us to return and register an FIR (first information report),” they said.
The sadhvis said more about 45 people from various states stayed at the ashram, of which 20 were women.
Nawada superintendent of police Vikas Burman said the matter was reported to the police on January 4. The FIR was registered the same day and their medical examination was conducted on January 10, he said.
The statement of the sadhvis was recorded in a court under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code the next day, Burman added. Two of the women are from Uttar Pradesh and one from Gaya district in Bihar, he said.
The accused Kalpnath Choudhary, Girija Shankar Choudhary, Tapasyanand and Ajit Choudhary, all residents of Basti district in Uttar Pradesh, and Dilchand Patel of Chhattisgarh, are absconding, the police said.
Raids were on to arrest the accused, Burman added.
Get Current Updates on India News, Ram Navami Live Updates , Lok Sabha Election 2024 live, Elections 2024, Election 2024 Date along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.