Cult followers prevented from ‘sacrificing their lives’ in Belagavi district

The Hindu Bureau

August 23, 2025

Four members of a family in Ananthpur village of Belagavi district and five others from different States who had announced “sacrificing their lives” reportedly under the influence of a “cult guru” have been convinced by another seer and officials to withdraw their decision.

The announcement was made by Tukaram Irakar, his wife Savitri, son Ramesh and daughter-in-law Vaishnavi from Ananthpur in Athani taluk of Belagavi district and five others that they would sacrifice their lives on September 8. They were reportedly followers of a cult guru named “Baba Rampal” of Haryana and inspired by his discourse, wanted to end their lives as they believed that “Baba” would help them get salvation.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/cult-followers-prevented-from-sacrificing-their-lives/article69969233.ece

CultNEWS101 Articles: 7/15/2024 (Jerusalem Bride Church, Trinidad, Legal, India, Baba Rampal, Scientology)

Jerusalem Bride Church, Trinidad, Legal, India, Baba Rampal, Scientology

bne IntelliNews: Cult infiltrates Trinidad's elite spy agency in shocking coup plot

" ... The esoteric cult, identified by local media as led by Pastor Ian Brown – a self-proclaimed spy charged with misbehaviour in public office – had deeply embedded itself within the SSA. Rowley, addressing Parliament on July 3, described how the cult's adepts, including highly trained military personnel, were covertly employed by the SSA and influenced its operations. "Such persons belonged to a cult which was arming itself while preaching a doctrine for trained military and paramilitary personnel with a religious calling to be the most suitable to replace the country's political leadership," Rowley stated, highlighting the grave threat to national security.

The clandestine group's activities included the unauthorised establishment of a Tactical Response Unit, comprising former commandos. This unit, operational until its abrupt termination in March, raised alarming questions about its true purpose. The audit also uncovered that the SSA had accumulated an arsenal of over 100 firearms and 100,000 rounds of ammunition under dubious circumstances. The procurement included military-grade weapons and accessories, all without proper authorisation or oversight."

" ... The infiltration extended to high-ranking officials within the SSA. Deputy Director of Intelligence Joanne Bartholomew-Daniel, who had ties to Major Roger Best, the ousted SSA head, was suspended along with 11 other employees, all linked to the Jerusalem Bride Church. This shadowy organisation, run by Pastor Ian Brown, was arming itself and preparing for a doomsday scenario, indoctrinating its members with the belief that they were destined to replace the country's leadership."

Irish Star: NFL's Daniel Muir embroiled in 'cult' controversy with ex-Colts player after teen son found

Former NFL player Daniel Muir has been charged with domestic battery and obstruction of justice alongside his wife after their 14 year old son was reported missing last month.

"Former NFL player Daniel Muir has been embroiled in controversy following the discovery of his missing 14 year old son, with links to the religious community Straitway Truth Ministries, which is labeled a "cult" by detractors.

Daniel Muir, aged 40, now faces legal troubles being charged with domestic battery and obstruction of justice whilst his 38-year-old spouse Kristin Muir faces similar obstruction charges."

" .... Tennessee authorities unfolded a supposed "cult" existence following a high-tensity SWAT deployment on a faith-based compound. Past accounts, escalating before this occurrence, indicate that Muir's path to Straitway was influenced by ex-NFL colleague Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, a distinguished Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer, who also swayed another Indianapolis Colts companion, Robert Mathis, towards the group.

A 2020 Sports Illustrated piece recounted how Gbaja-Biamila, Muir's teammate at Green Bay, shared Pastor Charles Dowell of Straitway's videos with him. Muir, motivated to invalidate Dowell's views through biblical scrutiny, eventually found himself persuaded.

It's suggested that an encounter between Muir and Mathis, where Muir donned a Hebrew-inspired t-shirt, led to Mathis's introduction and subsequent involvement with Straitway. Maths's link with the group was acknowledged in a Sports Illustrated interview back in 2020."

Times of India: Bhole Baba or Baba Rampal: How these men are playing God

" ... Boosted by TV and self-promoting literature, Rampal's messianic grip over his followers is emblematic of similar gurus the region seems to produce. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, head of Dera Sacha Sauda, is also headquartered in Haryana (Sirsa) and retains a huge following despite a controversial past.

Who's Chyren?

So how did Rampal create the larger-than-life image that he enjoys among his followers? He depends on visuals to drive home the message. Besides distributing merchandise such as stickers, rings and pendants, his facilities are peppered with hundreds of huge posters in various poses as if to offer visual proof of his omniscience.

Some of them proclaim him as The Great Chyren from Nostradamus's prophecy. He told followers he was Nostradamus's prediction come true: "The great Chyren will be chief of the world/Loved feared and unchallenged, even at the death/His name and praise will reach beyond the skies/And he will be content to be known only as Victor."

Taking on other faiths

The "victor" is currently languishing in jail but talking to his followers and reading his books, one feels the preacher positions himself as a faith-healer and a pugnacious social reformer — someone who consciously and constantly challenges other sects provoking a reaction. For instance, the common slogan in the ashram is: Jeev hamari jaati hai, maanav dharm hamara, Hindu Muslim Sikh Isai dharm nahi koi nyara."

Independent: Family says Scientology officials prevented women from seeking mental health treatment before she took her life

The lawsuit claims Mills requested a special auditing session to prepare for her spirit to 'drop' her body.

"The Church of Scientology prevented a woman from seeking mental health treatment before she took her own life, a lawsuit states.

The woman, Whitney Mills, 40, was a high-level Scientologist who worked as a real estate agent before her 2022 death, her mother Leila Mills said in the lawsuit.

Mills had been battling with her mental health, and twice had to be hospitalized. Before her death, Mills experienced insomnia, anxiety, and an increased heart rate, according to the lawsuit. The suit alleges church officials failed to prevent her death while she was under their supervision.

A spokesperson for the Church of Scientology told the Tampa Bay Times that while Mills' death was an "unfortunate tragedy," the church never assumed her care.

"Church policy is crystal clear: if a Scientologist is in need of medical care, he or she must see a medical doctor," the spokesperson told the paper. "Any and all decisions regarding medical treatment are solely the decision of the individual. The Church does not provide medical advice."

" ... The lawsuit seeks to establish that Mills was suicidal based on a request she made to receive a Scientology rite that prepared the body's spirit — thetan, in Scientological terms — for its exit from the body. On April 20, 2022, Mills reportedly asked a caretaker to oversee an "auditing" session to help her "drop the body" and noted she had learned about the practice from another caretaker.

The suit claims that after making that request in April 2022, Mills' caretakers "either intentionally or negligently" left her alone for several hours on May 12, 2022. Mills died by suicide that day.

The spokesperson for the Church of Scientology told the Tampa Bay Times that there is no rite in Scientology to prepare a body for death, but a former Sea Org member who administered auditing sessions told the paper that not only did the rite exist, but that it was created by founder L. Ron Hubbard himself."

News, Education, Intervention, Recovery

CultEducationEvents.com

CultMediation.com   

Intervention101.com to help families and friends understand and effectively respond to the complexity of a loved one's cult involvement.

CultRecovery101.com assists group members and their families make the sometimes difficult transition from coercion to renewed individual choice.

CultNEWS101.com news, links, resources.

Facebook

Flipboard

Twitter

Instagram

Cults101.org resources about cults, cultic groups, abusive relationships, movements, religions, political organizations and related topics.

Selection of articles for CultNEWS101 does not mean that Patrick Ryan or Joseph Kelly agree with the content. We provide information from many points of view in order to promote dialogue.

Please forward articles that you think we should add to cultintervention@gmail.com.

Indian 'guru in bling' allegedly encouraged the castration of 400 followers

January 9, 2015The Sydney Morning Herald

Indian police said they are investigating a popular self-styled godman for allegedly encouraging 400 followers to undergo castrations at his ashram so they could get closer to god.

The country's top crime fighting agency has registered a case against Gurmeet Ram Rahim, known as the "guru in bling" for his penchant for garish clothes and jewellery, over the operations in the country's north.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said Rahim is being investigated for criminal intimidation and causing grievous bodily hurt, after 400 castrations were allegedly carried out.

The guru, who heads the Dera Sacha Sauda organisation based in Haryana state, is already facing trial for conspiracy over the murder of a journalist in 2002 along with claims of sexually exploiting female followers.

The latest case was filed after one of his devotees, Hans Raj Chauhan, lodged a complaint in court alleging he was manipulated into having the "painful" operation at the ashram.

"They were told that only those who get castrated will be able to meet god," Chauhan's lawyer, Navkiran Singh, said on Thursday.

"We will put all the facts of the case to the court and seek compensation for the victims."

He said doctors carried out the castrations over a period from 2000, but for years his client had been too scared to come forward.

The court asked the CBI to undergo an investigation into the alleged castrations.
Forty-seven-year-old Rahim could not immediately be contacted for comment.
The Dera Sacha Sauda says it is a social welfare and spiritual organisation with millions of followers in India and abroad.

On its website, the group describes Rahim as a saint as well as an author, inventor, scientist, philosopher, philanthropist, peace activist and "the ultimate humanitarian".

Rahim also stars in an action movie to be released later this month called MSG: Messenger of God in which the guru fights criminals, sings songs and is shown dousing himself in water in slow motion after a rugby game.

India has been rocked by numerous scandals involving popular godmen who are mostly Hindu ascetics claiming to possess mystical powers.

In November, police arrested Baba Rampal Maharaj after a long and violent siege at his ashram in Haryana when he refused to comply with court orders in a murder case.

In a bizarre case, devotees of a dead guru are fighting a court battle in Punjab state to preserve his body in a freezer, insisting he is only meditating.

For many Indians, gurus play an integral role in daily life. They say they offer a pathway to enlightenment in return for spiritual devotion and often give donations to ashrams, temples and charity projects.
AFP

http://www.smh.com.au/world/indian-guru-in-bling-allegedly-encouraged-the-castration-of-400-followers-20150108-12kmul.html