Cuttack, Sept. 13: The state's torment with self-styled spiritual leaders or babas seems a never-ending phenomenon. After the arrests of Sarathi baba and Sura baba, Salipur police today nabbed another self-styled spiritual leader Alok Bisoi, who was detained yesterday, for the alleged murder of one Ashok Patra from his ashram on Saturday.
The charred body of the 40-year-old man was found on the premises of Anand Atma Ashram near Rameswar hill at Sahapada yesterday.
Superintendent of police Gurudas Kundu said Bisoi and two of his nephews had killed Patra over suspected past rivalry.
Bisoi was arrested following a complaint lodged by the deceased's father, Pravat Patra. Three others allegedly involved in the incident are absconding.
The accused has been booked under sections 302, 201 and 34, among others of the Indian Penal Code.
"We will bring Bisoi on a three-day remand to ascertain the exact motive behind the murder," said Kundu.
A four-member scientific team conducted a detailed investigation into the alleged murder yesterday.
"The baba and his aides brutally killed my son because he always opposed the illegal activities that went on in the ashram," said Pravat.
Bisoi's ashram at Rameswar village in Cuttack's Salepur block has been built through unfair means by grabbing government land.
Tension prevailed at Salepur following the death with residents blocking the Cuttack-Chandbali road demanding compensation and action against Bisoi. The road blockade hit traffic flow for more than two hours.
"A crime branch probe is required," said Umesh Das, a local resident. He said the local police did not take action against Bisoi even after receiving a written complaint last month on the various illegal activities going on in the ashram.
Another local resident said Bisoi, also known as Anand Atma, had taken over the ashram from another self-styled spiritual leader way back around 1995. He had also allegedly encroached on the several acres of land on Rameswar hill and other government land in various parts of the state.
Sishu Bhavan step
A new service to treat ailing mothers accompanying their sick children was started at Sishu Bhavan, in Cuttack on Sunday.
Many lactating mothers accompanying sick newborns have been also suffering from various post-delivery complications requiring proper treatment, doctors said.
"For them, we have opened a facility yesterday in which gynaecologists from the SCB Medical College and Hospital would come here for two hours daily to treat sick mothers," said newly appointed Sishu Bhavan superintendent Saroj Satpathy.
To put an end to the rude behaviour of some nurses and staff members towards the parents and attendants of the sick children, the hospital has begun a grievances redressal mechanism.
