Bhurkunda/Ramgarh, Dec. 11: Khepa Baba (real name Subash Narayan Bose), now facing the heat of the local people, won his “tantra siddhi” from Tarapeeth in Bengal, before he was inspired by a group of tantriks near Bharno in Gumla district.

The 50-something bearded godman, who moves in a wheelchair because he is handicapped, set up his ashram on around one acre at Bhurkunda some 20 years ago. He soon struck a rapport with influential people in the locality, including politicians, who used to pay him regular visits at the ashram. The baba denied involvement in the sacrifice of six-year-old Munna, saying he was at the ashram on the fateful night of December 8-9. He said he had been running an orphanage for the handicapped children for the last two years. There are altogether 20 children in the orphanage which, he said, is run through contributions made by the people.

The baba is obsessed with Goddess Kali and is said to regularly offer his own blood to the deity. “I believe in the Vaishnav sect and in non-violence. I am totally vegetarian. I take food on trees leafs. I even avoid onion and garlic. How can I sacrifice a child?” he said. Khepa Baba’s name cropped up following the statements issued by two other accused in the case — Mahavir Rajak and Birju Bhuiyan — and after Munna’s father Vijay Paswan lodged an FIR. “Mahavir Rajak was my staunch disciple. When police took him to the thana, I went there only to say that if he is the culprit, he should be punished, if not, he should be released. I was at my ashram doing his regular prayers,” he said. But when asked about the confessional statement made by the accused, he fumbled for a reply. Son of M.N. Bose, who worked for sometime with Central Coalfields Limited before turning a contractor, Khepa Baba is one of 10 children. Before turning a tantrik, he is said to have tried his hands at selling chicken and running a betel shop. The family has been living in Bhurkunda for several years.

Local people said the man was once beaten up for misbehaving with a woman. “Soon he disappeared and we later learnt that he was in Bharno (Gumla) to learn tantra,” a resident said.

The godman is said to have excellent connections with the politicians and other powerful people of the region. “He was the chief guest at a blanket distribution function organised by a local RJD leader,” the resident said.