Premanand Maharaj's Disciple Dies in Vrindavan Ashram Fall; Probe Underway

A disciple of Sant Premanand Maharaj died after falling from the fourth floor of an ashram in Uttar Pradesh's Vrindavan, with police treating the incident as a suspected suicide while they investigate several unanswered questions.

Deepak Lodhi, also known as Rasik Dulari Sharan, fell from the Guru Kripa Kunj Ashram on Friday morning. A resident of Jabalpur, he had been living at the ashram, which is associated with Keli Kunj.

CCTV footage from the road outside the ashram shows Lodhi falling at around 10:35 am, startling passersby on what had been an ordinary morning. A green stole tied around his neck is visible in the video. A senior police officer said they received information in the morning that an injured person had been admitted to a hospital, and an investigation was launched after taking cognisance of it.

A post-mortem report indicates injuries in six places, including a broken leg bone, a fractured rib and deep head injuries. His private parts were also severed. Investigators are trying to establish whether Lodhi cut himself or whether someone else was responsible. He is believed to have died from excessive bleeding.

Police have recovered a grinder from Lodhi's room and, with the help of a forensic team, are working to identify whose fingerprints are on it. His blood sample has been sent for forensic analysis to determine whether he had consumed any intoxicants, poisonous substances or suspicious materials before the incident.

While CCTV footage from the ashram shows him jumping from the fourth floor, it remains unclear what happened inside his room in the minutes before he died. Police are examining footage from nearby areas and trying to determine who was with him before the incident and what their final movements were. Key attendants associated with the ashram may soon be questioned as part of the probe.