Religious leader Asaram Bapu.

Why did two students of religious leader Asaram Bapu die?

Dipesh Vaghela and Abhishek Vaghela went missing on July 3. They were cousins.

Sunil Banerjee found their bodies on July 5. Banerjee was a devotee who stayed at the ashram nearby. Dipesh Vaghela and Abhishek Vaghela were 2 km away from their school, Santshree Asaramji Gurukul. The dead were badly decomposed within 2 days since they disappeared. The corpses were on the banks of the Sabarmati. Sunil Banerjee was a traveler by-passing the area so after his statement was recorded by the police, he left for his destination, Orissa.

The boy’s parents refused to accept the police’s story that the deaths were by accidental drowning. Police had the opinion that Dipesh Vaghela and Abhishek Vaghela ran away from the school (Gurukul) and fell into the water in the dark night. How did the drowned bodies get conveniently washed ashore on the banks? Could a high tide been responsible for washing ashore not one but TWO bodies? Why did Dipesh Vaghela and Abhishek Vaghela both fall into the water?

By the time police wanted to question Sunil Banerjee again, he had left the area for Orissa. So, Ahmedabad police have got to chase after him all the way to Orissa to ask him questions that they omitted asking.

Dipesh Vaghela and Abhishek Vaghela, RIP.
Via timesofindia.

First, the teacher in charge of the Gurukul (Hostel Ashram), Bapu Asharma, was a suspect related to the deaths of Dipesh Vaghela and Abhishek Vaghela. There were two groups of people; namely supporters and protestors of Bapu Asharma.

Next, Sunil Banerjee became a suspect since he was so clever as to discover the bodies when others could not.

Updated July 14 via gujaratglobal

Asaram Bapu claimed that the place where bodies were found had enough water to drown the two kids.

Updated July 15 via gujaratglobal

Sunil Banerjee suddenly appeared from UDabhoi in Gujarat.
Sunil Banerjee said he read the newspaper reports about police seeking his cooperation so he returned.

Police gave him the lie detection test and psychological profiling.

Protestors of the Santshree Asaramji Gurukul and Asaram Bapu allege that there could have been a mystical ordeal that killed the boys.

The dead were Dipesh Praful Vaghela of standard 5 and Abhishek Shantilal Vaghela of standard 6.Their origins were the Ranip area of Sabramti. Their grandfathers met the Governor and gave him a memorandum to request for impartial investigations into the deaths.

The Sabarmati river was virtually dry and the bodies were found buried. One leg was protruding and that was how it came to be spotted. (keralanews) Now, who is telling a big claim on accidental deaths by drowning?

What was more upsetting was the complaint from the boys’ parents. Asaram Bapu did not send his condolences to the boys’ families.

Via ZeeNews
Asaram Bapu’s supporters and residents clashed in a rally. Journalists who filmed the clash were attacked and their video/photo equipment damaged.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Gujarat Home Minister Amit Shah assured the public that rioters will be punished.

The Telegraph:

After being criticized for not offering condolences to the families of Dipesh Vaghela and Abhishek Vaghela, Asaram Bapu finally consented to visit the house. Vaghela, the father of Dipesh Vaghela, was on a vow of silence to protest against his son’s death and his nephew’s death, refused to speak to Asaram Bapu.

Asaram Bapu went back to his car but it was surrounded by angry residents. Asaram Bapu had to walk back to his Ashram (school).

Asaram Bapu accused the media nearby of violating the women sadhaks devotees compunf. The male devotees took that was a signal to wage war and they armed themselves with iron rods, sticks and stones. They attacked the media.

The condition of the bodies of Dipesh Vaghela and Abhishek Vaghela were decomposed. One of the bodies was mutilated with some organs missing. The heads were tonsured (shaved).

Asaram Bapu had been accused of land grabbing in Surat, Godhra and Modasa. There are court cases against him.

Updated July 22 2008

News
Chief Minister Narendra Modi has asked a retired High Court judge to become the judiciary in the probe into the deaths of Dipesh Vaghela and Abhishek Vaghela. The parents were satisfied where before, they wanted a CBI inquiry.

Express India:
Amedabad shops were closed in unison to show support for the parents of the dead boys; Dipesh Vaghela and Abhishek Vaghela.

Effigies of Asaram Bapu were stoned and burnt.

Updated Wed. July 23.
The Hindu:

The Gujarat government/ Director-General of Police P.C. Pande on Tuesday asked the CID (Crime) to investigate the deaths of Asaram Ashram pupils Dipesh Vaghela and Abhishek Vaghela.

Updated Thur. July 24.
Asaram Bapu has ordered the production of videos to dispute the media’s claims that his followers initiated violence against the paparazzi and public. The news site has 4-6 videos in Hindi language there.

Updated July 25.
Friday, July 25 was the day CID sent 4 teams to raid the Asharam of Asaram Bapu in Ahmedabad. CID has not checked the heavily guarded cellar yet. It was suspected that Dipesh Vaghela and Abhishek Vaghela may have died after esoteric or tantric practices at the asharam.

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