Asaram Bapu: major breakthrough in case

ASARAM BAPU

‘Killed Asaram Bapu’s doctor as he was blackmailing’ Asaram Bapu’s alleged henchman Kartik Haldar on Tuesday said he killed the self-styled godman’s personal doctor, one of the three key witnesses in rape cases against the jailed religious leader, because he blackmailed him and demanded a huge amount of money to keep mum.

Asaram rape case: Girl’s father gets threat Days after a sharpshooter who is suspected to have killed 3 witnesses in Asaram cases was nabbed, the father of a girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted by the self-styled godman has claimed to have received threats asking him to withdraw the case.

Asaram rape case: Victim’s father gets threat calls Days after a sharp shooter who killed 3 witnesses in Asaram cases was nabbed, father of the girl, who was allegedly sexually assaulted by Asaram Bapu , has been threatened by an unidentified person to withdraw the case or face dire consequences.

Asaram Bapu hatched conspiracy to kill witnesses: Arrested shooter to police In more trouble for controversial self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, Kartik Haldar, who is suspected to have shot dead three key witnesses in rape cases filed against the religious leader, has told the police that the murders were committed on Asaram’s behest, a report said on Wednesday.

Breakthrough: Sharp shooter who killed 3 witnesses in Asaram rape cases arrested by Gujarat ATS In a major breakthrough, self-styled godman Asaram Bapu’s alleged henchman, suspected to have shot dead three key witnesses in rape cases filed against the religious leader, has been arrested by Anti-Terrorism Squad of Gujarat.

Swami Nityananda – a deceiver and degenerate Hindu guru

The Times of India has published an article listing four religious communities (mutts) over which Nityananda tried to gain supremacy through deception and subterfuge, including their entire wealth. The High Court of Madras rejected his submission that he was the head of these mutts in and around Tiruvarur. This comes a the latest in a very long series of exposures of the sheer degeneracy of a young man who poses as yet another religious guru and has successfully obtained a large following among the ever-gullible religious Indian populace. His dossier of sexual and criminal behaviour is extensive and large part of it are collected and can be studied here:-

High Court in Madras denies Swami Nityananda control of four religious communities (Times of India article)

Guruphiliac December 29, 2014 mysterious death report   Another Mysterious Death at a Nithyananda Ashram. A 24-year-old brahmacharini of Nithyananda ashram died suddenly and mysteriously in his Bidadi ashram.

Sex-guru Swami Nityananda claims impotence, but court demands test September 13, 2014

The controversial young guru (with a proven sexual appetite) who has been exposed widely in the Indian media and against whom the slow-grinding Indian legal system has in Bengalaru issued a non-bailable warrant  was issued (for failing to attend court). A sexual abuse complaint had been registered in 2012 by a lady who stated she had been repeatedly raped during a five-year stay at his ashram.

Swami Nityananda failing to escape justice  August 1, 2014

Non-bailable warrent issued against Nityananda and 5 others

Swami Nityananda, known sex abuser under more legal scrutiny July 18, 2014

Further proof that the noble and moral ‘spirituality’ is no more a part of the big godman business! At least, the good news is that the war between the wary modern Internet-educated people of the world and the bubble of power-hungry swamis & supporters in charge of various spiritual organisations, will help to remove this cynical exploitation of the vulnerable, defenceless and weak

Nityananda severely beating, brainwashing children secretly? October 30, 2013

Once again, the discredited ‘godman’ Swami Nityananda – the hypocritical ‘celibate swami’ who was exposed as secretly exercised tantric sex practices on devotees – is accused of abuse, torture, manipulation and complete brainwashing of children of his followers.  Nityananda denied the Child Welfare Department access to his ashram, so this should be a matter for the police, but so far he is free to continue this as no authority with real power is willing to take up the matter.

Nithyananda claims he is Ramakrishna reborn! December 17, 2010

The Swami who is indicted for rape and ‘unnatural sex’ is now claiming to be the reincarnation of the famous supposed ‘avatar’, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. It does not bother him, evidently, that it emerged in later years that Ramakrishna was most likely involved in homo-erotic acts. Nithya calls himself Ramakrishna’ (Express Buzz) Naveen Ammembala

Swami Nityananda chargesheet: rape and unnatural sex  December 2, 2010

Nityananda’s pleas rejected by Karnataka High Court. In a short video, indiatimes.com reported reported in a short video (2/12/2010) “The Karnataka High Court has rejected a plea by self-styled godman Nityananda for furnishing him a copy of the charge sheet by the CID in connection with the rape case. The CID has filed a charge.

Nithyananda exposed by Ranjitha – CBI say no faked film  June 20, 2010

The Indian actress Ranjitha has come under the spotlight after it emerged that rather than being a victim of the sting operation, she was allegedly the one who released the sex tapes with Swami Nityananda in public. Sources in the Tamil film industry say that Ranjitha, a mother of two, fell in love with Swami

Swami Nithyananda: purification, tribulation and trial June 19, 2010

Nithyananda claims not to have done anything wrong, yet he decided to carry out a ´sacrifice´(tapas) for “self-purification” (Source) Why this (absurd) ritual so if he was so pure and innocent already? Note that even the fame-seeking charlatan Indian guru, Ravi Shankar (i.e. not the wonderful musician!) claims that Swami Nityananda has “violated UNAIDS guidelines

Swami Nityananda tries to defuse the sex scandal  June 10, 2010

The Indian website ‘Times Now’ have posted a video Nityananda, the swami accused of showing the interrogation of this swami accused of being involved in a sex scandal. These confessions are now on video, and an excerpt is shown. The following is a direct transcript of the presenter’s statement of key points…

Tantrick sex Swami Nithyananda’s farce plays on May 20, 2010

Swami Nityananda is certainly a major deceiver, for he claimed to be a celibate and even that he is “not a man” (i.e. impotent), yet all the while he was holding classes in strict secrecy for disciples who paid well in which the tantrick (or tantric) sex was so extreme that his lawyers had drawn up an obligatory non-disclosure agreement for applicants

Swami Nityananda tries the Sathya Sai Baba defense ploy  May 20, 2010

Swami Nithyananda applied for bail to the lower court but on May 6, 2010, the Ramanagara sessions court denied him bail because “Nithyananda and his disciples would tamper with the evidence.” The Public Prosecutor (Srirama Reddy) informed the court that Nithyananda’s victims were afraid to come forward as witnesses because the rich and influential followers of the godman were restraining them.

Swami Nithyananda scandal – jail, no bail April 23, 2010

Having fled the arm of the law to the Himalayas, Nithyananda has been caught and removed into custody in Bangalore, awaiting trial (along with several of his associates). He is charged under section 295 (a) – deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious belief.

Swami made followers sign ‘sex contract’  NDTV Correspondent | Friday April 23, 2010

As investigation continues into the charges against the controversial Bangalore godman Swami Nityananda, it has emerged that the swami would make followers sign a “sex contract” at the time of joining to indemnify him from legal action.

Barry Pittard on sex abuses – Scouts, Nithyananda, Sathya Sai Baba April 1, 2010

In the current very promising awakening of the public and the media to more and more religious sexual abuse, Barry Pittard draws parallels and comparisons between some of the major cases in the public eye at present.

Swami ‘Paramahamsa’ Nityananda scandal  March 28, 2010

Swami Paramahamsa Nithyananda – alias Rajasekaran, a native of Tiruvannamalai was caught on video in compromising situations with Tamil  actress Ranjitha and another woman. Serious complaints to the police were lodged by various persons, including Kannada actor Praveen and his ‘second-in-command; Lenin. Since then he has withdrawn into indeterminate spiritual seclusion’ and his main ashram…

Swami ‘Paramahamsa’ Nityananda scandal  March 28, 2010

Swami Paramahamsa Nithyananda – alias Rajasekaran, a native of Tiruvannamalai was caught on video in compromising situations with Tamil  actress Ranjitha and another woman. Serious complaints to the police were lodged by various persons, including Kannada actor Praveen and his ‘second-in-command; Lenin. Since then he has withdrawn into indeterminate spiritual seclusion’ and his main ashram

Nityananda video, lies and ‘sex allegations’  March 10, 2010

“It is a big conspiracy. Images have been morphed to show that the person in the video is Swami Nityananda. He has not done anything wrong,” Swami Athmakrubananda, the official spokesperson of Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam, told reporters here. (from The Sisat Daily) The Nityananda case shows us yet again how blind believers in Indian gurus will take upon themselves to lie blatantly to preserve their illusions

Sex scandal in Indian media – Nityananda and forerunners   March 6, 2010

Indian commentators, such as the presenter at IBN are finally asking why it is that so many Indian gurus have been convicted of adharmic (i.e. unrighteous) activities. The latest scandal, whatever the eventual outcome, has brought forth more allegations of Nityananda abusing women sexually, of murder attempts and an unexplained death at his ashram.

Damning sex abuse testimony against Sathya Sai Baba

In three lengthy TV interviews the former Sai Baba follower, Ullrich Zimmermann, gives a thorough description of his experiences with Sathya Sai Baba (on blip.tv.com in USA), which further prove what  is already widely reported by those involved, that Sathya Sai Baba practices sex on young male devotees.

The frank and detailed account Ullrich gives of his experiences and his interpretations of them for better and worse may be of great help to some of the hundreds of others he claims to know have been through similar sexual experiences with Sathya Sai Baba, whether of lesser or greater degree. His common sense as well as his more esoteric musings may well be helpful to others who have experienced the same or similar violations of their privacy. The question whether this oral sex was sexual abuse or a ‘divine blessing’ is raised, but the factual description of what occurred remains whatever one may think of it.

Ullrich Zimmermann (speaking about Sai Baba in the private interview room “So when he says that ‘always thinking about girls’ and I know and I don’t want to… … he says “Oh. Don’t worry” … … and he materialises an oil and he lifts up my T-shirt and he puts that here.” (he describes the places as “on the kundalini line”). “Then he kissed me on my mouth…” “It was awkward… and it was also not disgusting.” “He is looking at me and I know – knew – in my mind that he wanted me to suck his penis.” “and he took my hand… … to his genitals and it felt through the robe like a female with hair – there was no penis and he took my hand again and it was the male and ‘Suck finger, suck male’…” “So he pushes me down, lifts up his robe…” “His penis is… ….like from a child, no hair, small.” “And I took his penis in my mouth… …it was erect…. I had it in my mouth for a while and it was not like doing bliss, it was not like doing a big job or so – at least there was some movement but it was not like a big sexual act or so, and I didn’t feel ejaculation in my mouth… can’t give the time to the minute, maybe one and a half…” Asked by his interviewer whether Sai Baba ejaculated, Ullrich replied: “I didn’t feel that in my mouth. If you had asked me then I would have said ‘no’ but… I think he did.” “… really very quick. Robe up and the interview was over.” Interviewer: “Well, did you tell anyone about this, your mother?” Ullrich: Yes. I did. .. I was in the taxi back to Bangalore… she had also heard rumours and asked me what happened but she saw me in this happy state and so I told her.. I mean she didn’t experience… view that as abuse at all. She’s a Sai Baba follower and she trusts. And of course, having such an experience I wanted to have answers. After that, talking to other people who are living in the ashram and who are there for years with my knowledge and know about these things to happen anyway – it’s happening on a really big scale.” Interviewer: I mean, it happens every day with some – or – he has a lot of followers so he’s always doing interviews and… Ullrich: Yeah, but I only say my experience and that is I know – I know one person in eye-to-eye who has had that happen to him, also a young German, and I talked to another person who knew a lot of other people – I mean, I talked to a lot of people… Interviewer: But they also thought it was a good experience, or some of them were angry? Ullrich: They were not in anger. I mean, they’re still there. (editor’s note: i.e. in year 2000) They are just confused and for some of them it presses the button more than others but for me the bottom line was what I got, it is white Tantra.

Many other young men from across the world have testified to sexual abuses by Sathya Sai Baba through many years (see here). None came to see any of the sexual interferences of varying degrees of seriousness  as any kind of healing or blessing.

The natural openness and truthfulness of Ullrich is evident in his account of his whole Sai Baba experience – including the sensitive subject of oral sex – is admirable. His bravery and honesty in standing forth with information to help others and from which he can gain nothing himself other than a sense of doing a painful public duty (and attacks from fanatical Sai defenders) cannot be commended highly enough. As his interviewer says, these revelations will come a major shock to those Sai devotees who watch the video, but they will recognise that he describes details of life at the ashrams most credibly.

 
Ullrich Zimmermann emphasizes the big distinction between a ‘guru’ and a ‘teacher’: gurus unempower their followers and steal their freedom, a teacher (giving so-called spiritual guidance) always leaves seekers to decide for themselves and fashion their own way in life. Ullrich followed Sai Baba as a guru, but rejects gurus entirely now, even though there may have been be some clear temporary benefits from such following.

The full-length videos could for years be viewed on-line, but they have been removed. An audio file from the videos will be posted asap. The original URLs were:-
Part One (introductory) –
Part Two (the main account of sex etc.) –
Part Three (reflections)

The International Chairman of the Sathya Sai Organization, Dr. M. Goldstein – along with his defender and fanatical attacker of all critics, Gerald Moreno, – denies that anything improper has ever taken place. He has been exposed as running a despicable cover-up of facts that we have proof were known to him (who actually claims to be a ‘consummate professional’ sex abuse expert) and to many other top leaders, especially his predecessor as US leader, Dr. Hislop, whose famous letters tried to cover up the same kind of allegations in the early 1980s. That Sai Baba has escaped conviction is due to his protection by Indian Prime Ministers and Home Ministers who worship him and to his virtual control of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh and the Supreme Court of India through devotees who preside there. His unaccountable Sathya Sai Organisation cannot be sued in the US, not being registered as an accountable organisation (it operates and sends its donations to India through a bookshop).

In the first part of this series, Ullrich Zimmermann tells how he came to Sathya Sai Baba and got his first interview. Those who have not been involved in visiting Sai Baba will find some interest in watching this. He brings out the way in which he experienced this at the time, not concealing how indoctrinated he was – similar to most devotees – well before he ever saw Sai Baba. His conclusions about it all years after the sexual events (stated in Part Three) – reflect a most critical perspective.

In Part Two of the series: Since the live video interviews are lengthy, they are summarized  for the sake of those who will not have time to watch all of it, with transcripts of portions which are particularly important from the viewpoint of the expos of Sai Baba’s secret and controversial and doings.

Full coverage of Zimmermann’s testimony, with transcripts and discussion – click here

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PLEASE SEE THE SAI PETITION AND DECIDE WHETHER TO SIGN IT

(Spanish version PETICIÓNPÚBLICA PARA INVESTIGACIONES OFICIALES

The Fame of Name and Person – Sai Baba part 4

“Miracles” are the bait: Sathya Sai Baba claims to perform countless major miracles, even that he could change “sky into earth and earth into sky”. Believe this if one can. He says “miracles are my visiting cards”, and indeed they are the bait which – if swallowed – hooks many so-called ‘spiritual seekers’ who wish to penetrate beyond the limits of ordinary perception. His attraction works not least through his apparently inexplicable manifestations of objects despite the fact that much of it is now known to take place by sleight of hand. Further, it is widely claimed to be the spontaneous appearance of traditionally holy substances (ash, nectar, kum kum, turmeric powder, milk etc.) on many pictures of himself in distant parts of the globe.

Sathya Sai Baba has charmed royalty, statesmen, and many politicians, plus rich and famous persons from many countries, to whom he gives pride of place before all other followers whenever they visit his ashram. Thus, he has influenced many followers to believe that he will become (some even believe he already is) the de facto ruler of the whole world! This is remarkable to anyone with knowledge of the world and religious cults… to believe such a thing is certainly nothing but to be badly deluded, if only due to ignorance of Sai Baba’s own published words, which demonstrate fully to any educated, independent person the ignorance and inconsistency that runs throughout his ‘teachings’.

If one is to credit the ‘incredible’ stories about his childhood and youth, many things supposedly set him apart from most spiritual leaders and gurus. The most primitive superstitions held in his poor peasant family and their village were supposedly disregarded by him from an early age. His insistence on vegetarianism from earliest childhood despite a meat-eating family is taken as an example of his ‘divine childhood enlightenment’. However, he has reaffirmed traditional superstitions on a grant scale in many ways and in many discourses since he became an adult! He preaches as literal truth most of the myths of Indian scripture and legend! (i.e. evil ogres, giant men, air vehicles, ancient moon travel, miraculous powers of sages and in idols of worship such as statues and Shiva lingams, plus much more in that mythological vein). Likewise his unperturbed behaviour when tortured by the magician after being thought to have become possessed by some entity (the marks of deep cuts on top of his head are still visible sometimes).

Through his apparently inexplicable manifestations of objects, even though much of it is now known to take place by sleight of hand, he has exerted great attraction on so-called ‘spiritual seekers’ who wish to penetrate beyond the limits of ordinary perception. His attraction also works through what is widely claimed to be the spontaneous appearance of traditionally holy substances (ash, nectar, kum kum, turmeric powder, milk etc.) on many pictures of himself in distant parts of the globe. He has charmed royalty, statesmen, and many politicians, plus rich and famous persons from many countries, to whom he gives pride of place before all other followers whenever they visit his ashram. Thus, he has influenced many followers to believe that he will become (some even believe he already is) the de facto ruler of the whole world! This is remarkable to anyone with knowledge of the world and religious cults… to believe such a thing is certainly nothing but to be badly deluded, if only due to ignorance of Sai Baba’s own published words, which demonstrate fully to any educated, independent person the ignorance and inconsistency that runs throughout his ‘teachings’.

There are hundreds of accounts of individual experiences of Sai Baba’s alleged ‘healing’ of all kinds of ailments and other ‘miraculous’ interventions. How much of this is over-positive interpretation, wishful imaginings (such as to raise one’s ‘spiritual status’ in the eyes of oneself and/or others) is an open question. Testimonies, of which there are a large number – including about 400 books in English – are weighted strongly in favour of Sai Baba having para-normal powers of thought transference, healing, manifestations of objects and many other inexplicable phenomena. See the definitive bibliography of Sai literature by academic Brian Steel. These he speaks of as being true, divine miracles. However, testimonies that show the limitations of these powers, that question the authenticity of the many excessive accounts or which expose fakery, have been relatively few, though these are increasing via the Internet. It is surely largely due to the fact that, until this technology existed, Sai Baba had virtual control of nearly all information about himself. He has long had mastery over whom he will allow into his proximity, guarded as he is by a very large number of servitors and security men.

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Please go to the Public Petition for Official Investigations of Sathya Sai Baba and His Worldwide Organization

India – God-driven or God-forsaken?

The words “God Lives in India” have been bandied about by numerous people, always referring to Sathya Sai Baba (who has proclaimed himself as God, Deity of All Deities). It is a film title, a song title, a book title and so on. Sai Baba has stated that God never incarnates as the Full Avatar anywhere else but in India and then only after many thousands of years, and now he has come as a triple incarnation in this disastrous Kali Age so as to save humanity. The implication – drawn firmly by Sathya Sai Baba himself, is that India is the only world culture to which God would deign to ‘descend’ because it is the ‘most spiritual’ and is the only country in which all genuine and full incarnations of God have ever incarnated (from Vishnu on through Krishna, Rama etc. etc.).

This kind of ‘God claim’ may make many Indians – even its lowly peasants – proud of their country – which possibility is not ignored by vote-hungry politicians and their supporters. It also underpins the absurd extreme nationalism of the Indian rulers, as witnessed in the utterly childish daily face-offs supported by the authorities for decades at the border vis-a-vis Pakistan, just for a start. Meanwhile, much of the callous and grasping ruling class are content to allow huge parts of all cities to be vast and growing slums, and the dwellers are treated by police and the law if they had no rights (which is often the case legally). Consequently, the mafias are often their only remaining line of defense against summary eviction.

In support of a rising New India, with genuine equality rather than bogus spirituality!I write this blog not least in support of the majority population of India, that is, the dispossessed majority of over 600 million of its inhabitants who lack social justice and even have no real equality before the law, being entrapped within a corrupt system, – and I do NOT to support the many corrupted and self-seeking ruling politicians and privileged castes. That India is a land of “the direst calamities” is a fact pointed out even by Sathya Sai Baba (from his insulated luxury fortress-palaces and the benefits of his money-laden tax-free Sathya Sai Central Trust). Sathya Sai Baba’s still far too neglected ‘backyard’ is a ‘flawed democracy’ (as a ‘Times’ of India editorial names it – see here) from which Sai Baba recently stated that he is minded to travel on tour abroad, breaking his oft-repeated promise to clean things up in India before setting foot anywhere else! Such are most of the promises he makes and the otherworldly and moralistic ‘spirituality’ he mostly promotes!

Is [traditional] India a spiritual country?
Judging by the state of human rights and its decadent social practices, corrupt political decision-making and huge injustices and inequalities, India is not a spiritual country at all. It is also plagued by the old guard’s vast militaristic spending, far from Gandhi’s peaceful ideals.  ‘Spirituality’ is meaningless it it is not practiced in daily living and embedded in a society’s practices and practical values in real life. India is rather an overwhelmingly religiously superstitious country in which the goodwill and relative ignorance and powerlessness of the lowly is exploited to the extreme though widespread political and business corruption. This is part of India’s traditional caste-ridden way of life! The violent and consistent suppression of minorities, Muslims, Dalits, indigenous native populations, hiras, bonded labourers, and many other minorities is sustained by callous impassivity and top-down corruption in much of the police, judiciary and governing bodies. Indian leaders, in the main (with a minority of honourable and courageous exceptions), have the most hardened consciences towards the gigantic number of poor and suffering and their crying needs (over 40% being officially regarded by UNO as living below the poverty line). The gap between India’s rich and poor is mind-boggling!

As to ‘spirituality’, while India’s millions are worshipful and passive, this is also a land of frequent communal carnage (eg. Hindus vs. Muslims) and bomb blasts galore, massive female infanticide, religious killings (of Christians), extreme beggary, horrific mutilations of babies to make them into beggars (as ‘rat children’, ‘spidermen’, diverse amputees) major human organ theft, literal ‘witch-hunts’ and black magic killings, physical and sexual child abuse on a massive scale, millions of children labouring under dreadful condition, and enormous health problems, utter discrimination against widows and many more ills that no truly democratic country wouldcountenance. The seriousness is still very widely denied by Indian politicians, despite many and constant international studies and warnings. Even worse, most of the sufferers are treated as total outcasts by most Indian communities (AIDs, lepers. polio sufferers and many other diseases largely eradicated elsewhere), not least because of the heartless ideas so widely held there about divine retribution as ‘karma’ for sins in past lives. Above all, Sathya Sai Baba has never confronted any of these issues or spoken up to defend the victims or attack the perpetrators!

Dr. H. Narasimhaiah and Sathya Sai Baba

Dr H. Narasimhaiah was an uncompromising rationalist, a friend and lifelong supporter of Mahatma Gandhi and president of the National Education Society. HN, as he was popularly known, originated in 1962 the Bangalore Science Forum to promote the scientific temper. In that spirit it hosted thousands of lectures and showed over 500 films before his death in 2005. His credo was “Do not accept anything without questioning”, though he was never an atheist. His office was adorned with a quotation of Albert Einstein on the wall “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds”.
Well, Dr. Narasimhaiah was certainly no mediocre mind, for he promoted science in education to such an extent and of such quality that he is generally revered by the Indian intelligensia.

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Science vs. ‘Spiritual’ Superstition
The Deccan Herald reported:”Dr Narasimhaiah stole the limelight when he challenged the Sai Baba to create a pumpkin out of thin air instead of gold rings and watches. (Later a devotee asked Sai Baba to create a jackfruit  – which he did not do), as reported in the Times of India (click on thumbnail scan on the right here or go to source here).  Narasimhaiah had also invited the Baba twice to perform miracles in front of a committee. Dr Narasimhaiah, who had a doctorate in nuclear physics from an American university, was the Chairman of the Kannada Watchdog Committee, and a member of the Legislative Council. He headed the committee which probed banamathi (witchcraft) menace which had reached alarming proportions in North Karnataka. After a thorough investigation with experts from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences, he came to the conclusion that banamathi was a fear-complex perpetrated by vested interests on psychologically weak villagers.”

Black Magic/Witchcraft in India
Sathya Sai Baba has promoted the belief in black magic on various occasions, which most of the world will admit is very far from being helpful to India! Recently, the age-old superstitions still plague India life to a far greater degree than is publicized. A truly soul-chilling set of horrific reports from the Deccan Herald beyond any possible doubt that the superstition is causing the most horrific deaths around India. So much for the benign dispensation of the self-proclaimed God of Gods, Sathya Sai Baba, who defies science and promotes belief in black magicians etc. Let us hope that the true spirit of inquiry and critical thinking about fantastic claims will spread rapidly as India’s information technology spreads to all corners of the land and India thus becomes further integrated in the global community.

(see also on witchcraft in India by ‘National Geographic’ etc. here)