The death of a 25-year-old religious preacher, Sadhvi Prem Baisa, in Rajasthan has kicked up quite a row as her followers are demanding an investigation into her mysterious death. Prem Baisa died allegedly while being treated for a fever and a suicide note shared on her Instagram handle after her death has deepened the mystery surrounding her death.
Prem Baisa was declared brought dead at a private hospital in Jodhpur where she was brought by her father and another aide on Wednesday evening from her ashram in Boranada, news agency PTI reported.
Fever, injection and sudden collapse
Prem Baisa was suffering from cold and cough for a long time, her father was quoted as saying by NDTV. But things went downhill on Wednesday when a compounder was called to administer an injection, following which she collapsed within minutes. She had received in-house medication at her ashram, police said. As Prem Baisa's condition deteriorated, her father, who is also a religious preacher, took her to the private hospital, accompanied by one of the aides. Doctors at the hospital declared her dead.
According to reports, her father took her dead body in his private car and refused using the ambulance to take her body to a government hospital for post-mortem.
A large number of the devotees assembled at the ashram after news of her death spread. They raised slogans and demanded a fair investigation into her "sudden and suspicious death".
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The police have detained the compounder and his medical equipment has been seized, according to reports.
Mysterious Instagram post and a viral video
A post on her Instagram handle, which appeared to be a suicide note, hours after her death sparked speculations where she referred to an "agnipariksha" (trial by fire).
“I bid farewell to this world forever, yet I have complete faith in God and the revered saints. If I do not receive justice while alive, then surely after leaving this world, justice will be done,” she said in the post in Hindi on Instagram as she talked about her gurus and the Sanatan Dharma.
“Throughout my life, I have received the blessings at every moment of Adi Jagadguru Shankaracharya Bhagwan, great yoga gurus of the world, and revered saints and sages. I wrote letters to Adi Guru Shankaracharya and many great saints of the country, requesting an agni-pariksha (trial by fire), but what did nature allow?” she wrote.
Around six months ago, Prem Baisa had approached the police, alleging that she was being blackmailed over a "doctored" video by some of her staff. They were allegedly "defaming her character" and demanding ₹20 lakh for the video, which was later widely circulated online.
Police had then arrested one person identified as Jogendra alias Jogaram, who used to install the sound system for her sermons.
With inputs from PTI