After Sarathi Baba, another ‘godman’ faces Odisha wrath

BHUBANESWAR: Simmering discontent against alleged dubious activities of a self-styled godman – Surendra Mishra alias Sura baba – boiled over on Sunday night as a mob of hundreds of angry locals ransacked his ashram in a village on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, setting furniture and vehicles on fire, police said.

Police rushed nine platoons of force to control the mob even as Bhubaneswar police commissioner RP Sharma urged people to maintain calm.

“The situation is under control but we are keeping a strict vigil. We are analysing specific complaints and will take appropriate action,” Sharma said.

Sura Baba was taken into police custody in the early hours on Monday. Police have also seized two guns from his ashram.

Sura baba is the second controversial godman after Kendrapara district’s Sarathi Baba to face public wrath in Odisha in a month.

In the first week of August, Sarathi baba was arrested by police following violent protests over his alleged illegal activities.

Since Sarathi baba’s arrest, the local news channels have been running stories on other self-styled godmen.

On Sunday evening, some locals held a protest demonstration in front of Sura baba’s ashram demanding his arrest after a woman leveled allegations of sexual harassment against him in a report aired on a local channel.

Some of the demonstrators were allegedly attacked by baba’s followers. Soon hundreds of people from nearby villages reached the 14-acre ashram and went on a rampage that continued past mid-night.