Even as management of the Divya Jyoti Jagran Sansthan (DJJS) claims that its head Ashutosh Maharaj is in "samadhi" since Tuesday night and that a portable mortuary chamber from the local Bhootnath Temple was hired in "panic", the reasons given by the dera men who brought the chambers from the temple caretaker have further added to the mystery.
In an interaction with Hindustan Times, Bhootnath Temple caretaker Davinder Kumar said the dera men had hired two mortuary chambers on early Wednesday morning that had not been returned till Saturday evening.
"At around 6.15 on Wednesday morning, I got a call from Divya Jyoti from one Anil Kumar, who said they needed a mortuary machine as someone had died at the dera. After around half an hour, Anil came and also asked for the second machine. When I asked why they needed another one, he said two people had died at the dera," said Davinder.
He said the Divya Jyoti men had come with a reference of two residents of Nurmahal, Shingara Singh and retired school teacher Surinder Kumar, who are dera followers.
Davinder said when he asked them when would they return the mortuary chambers, Anil said it might take time.
"It may take three to four days, was his reply," said the temple caretaker, who is not aware of the controversy going on in the dera over the health of Ashutosh Maharaj. HT had earlier reported how the two chambers had been hired by the dera from the local temple.
Davinder said when he asked them when would they return the mortuary chambers, Anil said it might take time.
"It may take three to four days, was his reply," said the temple caretaker, who is not aware of the controversy going on in the dera over the health of Ashutosh Maharaj. HT had earlier reported how the two chambers had been hired by the dera from the local temple.
The dera persons wrapped the chambers in a cloth and took them in a four-wheeler. "Though the wrapping of chambers looked odd, I thought the person seemed to be wise," he said.
During their interaction with media on Friday, dera spokesman Swami Vishalanand admitted that a mortuary chamber had arrived on the dera premises. "This was brought in panic by one of our sewadars who went by the rumour that Swamiji had died. This would be returned immediately," he claimed.
According to the temple caretaker, a body can be saved in the mortuary chamber for three to four days. The two machines had been donated by an NRI to the temple.
Till the filing of this report, the dera had not returned the mortuary chambers.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, the DJJS management refrained from taking calls from the media and talking to them on the dera premises. In a press note issued in the morning, the spokesman reiterated that Ashutosh Maharaj was in samadhi.