Numerous changes have been made to the operating procedures at the ashrams associated with the renowned saint Prem Anand Maharaj from Mathura-Vrindavan following the tragic death of one of his disciples. At the Keli Kundh ashram, the initiation program has been suspended indefinitely, and a ban on visits using tokens has been introduced.
Furthermore, at the Yamuna Vihar Kundh Belwan ashram, where visits for initiated followers were previously organized, all types of meetings have now also been halted. These changes were communicated to devotees through the service providers at the ashrams, and official information was published. Consequently, visitors arriving at the ashrams can no longer expect the previous arrangements.
The most significant change is the indefinite suspension of the initiation program at the Keli Kundh ashram. This means that the process of initiating new followers is temporarily frozen. Ashram staff informed devotees about this via microphone, but no exact date for resuming this suspension has been provided, so it is currently considered indefinite.
The second major revision concerns the visiting system. Visits using tokens have also been suspended indefinitely. This change is significant because a large number of pilgrims arrive at the ashrams specifically through this system. The cancellation of the token system means that devotees will temporarily be unable to visit the ashram using tokens.
The changes were not limited to Keli Kundh. At the Yamuna Vihar Kundh Belwan ashram, the visiting system for initiated followers has also been closed. Thus, on one hand, an initiation ban and a token visit ban have been imposed at Keli Kundh, while on the other hand, visits for initiated followers have been temporarily stopped at Yamuna Vihar Kundh Belwan. Additionally, another change occurred in the ashram's operations: the attire of the serving staff has changed. This change took place when the case of the disciple's death related to the ashram was being discussed.
The situation became a subject of discussion after the death of Prem Anand Maharaj's disciple, Rasik Dulari Sharana, also known as Dipak Lodhi. The death occurred after a fall from a building. Following this incident, the aforementioned adjustments were made to the ashram's operations. Various questions are arising regarding this matter, and the police are conducting an investigation. The scene of the incident and other available evidence are being examined as part of the investigation. The ashram management did not provide detailed comments to the cameras on this issue. However, the staff providing services at the ashram informed the devotees about the new rules via microphone. Therefore, the clearest information at the moment comes from the ashram regarding the implemented changes.
These changes directly affect pilgrims arriving at the ashrams. Those who planned to undergo initiation will have to wait. The token visiting system has also been suspended for those who wished to come using tokens. Moreover, visits for initiated followers at Yamuna Vihar Kundh Belwan are also closed. Pilgrims must arrive aware of the new rules. The picture regarding the future arrangement remains unclear: when will initiation resume? When will token visits return? When will visits for initiated followers at Yamuna Vihar Kundh Belwan begin? And what is the exact reason for the change in the staff's clothing?
The death of Prem Anand Maharaj's disciple, Rasik Dulari Sharana, also known as Dipak Lodhi, occurred in Vrindavan on Friday morning around 10:36 AM. Dipak is from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. According to the police, he was seen falling from the roof of the fourth-floor apartment in surveillance footage. The autopsy revealed serious injuries and severe bleeding on the body. The police are currently trying to determine what happened in the room before the incident. For this, the apartment's DVR, mobile phone, and blood samples have been sent for forensic examination, and they are also trying to find the cause of the incident by examining remote photos and chats from the mobile phone. On the other hand, the Sadhu-Sants of Bridge demanded a high-level investigation into this case.
