New Delhi: The body of a girl, who was missing for a few days, was recovered from an alto car parked inside the ashram of self-styled godman and rape convict Asaram Bapu’s ashram in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda.
The police have sent the body for post-mortem and sealed the ashram located in Bahraich road falling under the Dehat Kotwali area in Gonda.
The police began its investigation into the matter after being informed by the locals about the dead body in the parked vehicle.
The police have also taken a person from the ashram into custody for questioning in connection with the matter. The forensic team officials are assisting the police personnel in the investigation of this case.
It is prima facie suspected that the body was hidden in the car after murder.
The locals came to know about this due to a foul smell in the area where the car was parked. The watchman saw the dead body inside the car on opening the vehicle post which the police was informed about the same.
This incident stirred a controversy in the area and once again brought Asaram Bapu, who was sentenced to life imprisonment earlier in 2018 after a special court in Jodhpur convicted him of rape, into limelight.
The self-styled godman was found guilty of raping a 16-year-old girl at his ashram in Jodhpur earlier in 2013.
Meanwhile, the girl’s mother said that her daughter disappeared on Tuesday, adding they tried to search her at almost all places in the city but in vain.
She also hinted at the role of some people, who had earlier done the same with her husband.
Additional District Officer Shivraj Prajapati while commenting on the matter said that a girl was reported to be missing on Tuesday, adding her body was found in the ashram in the night.
The senior official further said the police have begun its investigation into the matter after taking possession of the victim’s body.