HYDERABAD: Seven young women, including an aeronautical engineer, who were allegedly confined in an ashram run by Om Jai Baba in Keesara were ‘rescued’ on Sunday night and sent for medical examination to Gandhi Hospital after complaints of alleged sexual abuse were raised by one of the parents.
The high voltage drama began unfolding in the Om Jai Baba Ashram at Keesara on Sunday afternoon when the mother of one of the girls raised an alarm after not being allowed to meet her daughter.
The police based on the complaint attempted to check the ashram premises, but were not allowed inside by the officials. But they managed to get inside the ashram and rescued all the seven girls. They were sent for medical examination on Monday and later before Medchal magistrate.
Police registered cases against the Baba and are likely to arrest him.
The women who were rescued in a late night operation, however denied any abuse in the ashram. The daughter of the complainant also denied any sort of coercion from the ashram authorities and wanted to go back. “The girls have been vehement that there was no abuse and maintained that meditation and yoga were the only things they took part. In fact the girls and the parents had also signed legal documents during their admission, stating that they are willfully staying there,” police said.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that there was no abuse. No traces of drugs were also found on them,” ACP K Shiva Kumar said. The reports have been sent to forensic lab for further investigations.
However, as the parents of the girls were forbidden from meeting them, a case has been filed against the ashram authorities under Section 420,506,406 and 342 for forcibly confining the girls and not allowing the parents to meet, said the officers investgating the matter.