Van:Glycine Cytogenetics, University of Illinois (GlycineUI@UIUC)
Onderwerp:Real story of attempt to kill Satya Saibaba Deze discussie bestaat
uit maar één bericht
View: Original Format Discussies:soc.culture.tamil Datum:1993-08-10 11:44:49
PST
Following
is a brief description of the recent incident that took place in Putaparti (Sri
Satya Saibaba's Asram): (no offense intended to the followers of Satya Saibaba)
Probably many of you know that there was an incident on 6th of June, 1993 in
Putaparti (SRI SATYA SAIBABA'S ASRAM) where few men were alleged to have attempted
to assassinate Saibaba. At least 4 men were killed (by police firing) that night
and 2 other murders were committed some time earlier at `Saibaba's Asram'. The
police in their first investigation report (FIR) sated that they had to shoot
the 4 men that night (6th June) only for self-protection. However, the pictures
taken by several news paper reporters clearly indicate (described in EENADU
and ANDHRA JYOTHI - daily news papers) otherwise - the 4 men were killed by
extensive physical beating (by wooden sticks and other kinds of manhandling)
prior to the police shooting as evident from the position of bodies, blood stains,
twisted and broken limbs, etc.
During this process two other men (Mr. Boyapati Raveendra Babu and Mr. Santaram
Prabhu) who were alleged to be part of a gang, with the 4 men killed, in conspiring
to kill Saibaba that night, went out to get some cigarettes at a stall nearby.
While they were out side, they heard several rounds of firing (police) and tried
to get back inside (Saibaba's living quarters) to see what happened. By then,
all the premises of Saibaba's living quarters were closed and no one was allowed
to get in. Raveendra and Prabhu (the two men out side) were friends of the 4
men killed inside and they were all part of night security crew of the Asram.
These six people, being part of night security team, were aware of several clandestine
operations that go on in the Asram. Raveendra (one of the men out side) says
that he was actually a prime witness of two murders that took place several
days before this incident. The organizers of Saibaba's all financial management
and day-to-day activities (committee members of `Stya Sai Trust') seem to know
that these six men were aware of their operations and planned to get rid of
them that night. Raveenda and Prabhu who went out side, after hearing the firing
and trying to get back in, soon learnt that four men were killed and that they
were also targets of the killing that night. After realizing this they fled
and stayed under-ground for over a month.
SOME BACKGROUND: Raveendra Babu (one of the accused) was my class-mate during under-graduation in India and a very good friend. I also know his father and mother. About 10 years ego his father and mother sold what ever property they had and joined Saibaba's Asram and became devotees of Sri Satya Saibaba. Raveendra Babu finished his Bsc (Agriculture) in 1980 and worked in seed companies for few years. Finally, a couple of years ego he also joined Saibaba's Asram and started living there. I visited India two times during 1987 and 1988 and met him several times. He was the same guy I knew during my undergraduate studies and a couple of years after that -- "he was religious and a man of high moral and ethical standards". His parents are some of the nicest people I know.
Coming back to the story -- about
thirty days after fleeing from Puttaparti, Raveendra and Prabhu surrendered
to Nagpur police on July 7th and revealed the real story of who is mainly involved
in killing the four men on 6th of June. According to Raveendra and Prabhu the
main hand in all this was that of Saibaba's brother Mr. Janaki Ramaiah and some
of his men (Saibaba him self not included). It seems that the entire show at
Putaparti is run by these men (Satya Sai Trustees) and that Saibaba himself
is just a baba who chooses to ignore all these operations. According to news
papers Saibaba himself stated that "it (the incident that night) was simply
a friction between two gangs and not an attempt to kill him". However, police
(of Ananthapur) did not pursue the investigation in that direction. Police (and
Satya Sai Trustees) are accusing Raveendra and Prabhu of attempting to murder
Saibaba. According to Raveendra and Prabhu - Ananthpur police and also several
Congress leaders were actually working for the Saibaba Trust Committee members.
This is the main reason (according to several news paper reporters, Raveendra
and Prabhu) why the police did some major cover-up operation in this incident
(and several other unexplained disappearances of people before). There seem
to be some big-time misappropriation of trust funds by the committee members.
After hearing to all this, if I were a donor of funds to the Satya Sai Trust
(Fund) - I would certainly take a hard look at how the money is being appropriated!
Especially, the money sent from abroad ($$) in the form of cash or travellers
checks are reported to be misused (directly going in to the pockets of the organizers!).
The organizers seem to have been making outrageous statements openly - such
as: It is they who made Satya Sai a "Baba" and that they can even kill Satya
Saibaba himself and still run the show (keep getting funds, etc.) just with
his tomb.
According to EENADU news paper the Satya Sai Central Trust Committee comprises
of: The Chairman - Saibaba, Secretary - Narayanan, Members - Aarevi Janaki Ramaiah
(baba's younger brother), K. R. Prasad, Indulal Shaw, Srinivas, Bangalore Rajamata,
Justice P.S. Bhagavati, Justice Balakrishna Raj, Administrator - Colnal Jogi
Rao. The trust has an estimated assets of over Rs. 2,000 crores.
On 7th of July, Raveendra and Prabhu were arrested and were charged with attempt
of murdering Saibaba. Raveendra and Prabhu still seem to have a good deal of
respect for Saibaba. They state that they simply want to expose the people behind
all the wrongdoings and that they never had any intentions or reasons to harm
Saibaba himself. Andhra Pradesh Civil Rights Association, OPDR, IFTU, ICF, Arunodaya,
PDSU, PUCL, Chaitanya Mahila Sangham, AISF, and several other social and student
organizations were planning to organize a meeting in support of Raveendra and
Prabhu in Vijayawada on 25th of July - I don't have any further news about this
meeting! Raveendra and Prabhu's case was being conducted in Penugonda. According
to the latest news (July 13th) Raveendra and Prabhu were in Judicial custody.
I have several news paper (only Telugu) cuttings. If any of you are interested
please write to my following E-mail address: (please include your postal address)
krishnak@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu
(Note) the author of the above is no longer contactable at the above mail address)