Man hangs himself in ashram, blames priest for suicide

Times of India
August 12, 2015

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/indore/Man-hangs-himself-in-ashram-blames-priest-for-suicide/articleshow/48447543.cms

INDORE: A 21-year-old man committed suicide in an ashram on the premises of Lal Mandir under the jurisdiction of Malharganj police station on Tuesday. The man wrote a suicide note on his wrist with henna (mehendi) accusing the ashram's priest of harassing him.

According to police, the deceased Gajendra Sharma hailed from Narsinhpur who had come to Indore to study Hindu rituals. He used to take lessons along with many other students in an ashram behind Bada Ganpati temple in the city. These students used to live in the ashram itself. On Tuesday, Sharma was found hanging from the ventilation shaft of his room by some devotees. A suicide note was found on the man's wrist which held the temple priest responsible for the act.

The note marked in henna said, "Meri maut ka zimmedar Gopaldas hai. Kaun jeena nahi chahta magar jeene nahi diya." (Gopaldas is responsible for my death. Who doesn't want to live but I was forced to die.)

When Gopaldas Maharaj was asked about allegations levelled against him in the suicide note, he said, "Many students take lessons on Hindu rituals from me in the ashram. None of the students have complained of anything. The suicide is being related to me but there might be some other aspect to it."

Meanwhile, a mobile phone was recovered from the possession of the youth who committed suicide. Police is trying to ascertain another theory which was put forth by ashram authorities relating to it.

"A mobile phone was stolen from a student in the ashram few days back. The youth who committed suicide was found in possession of the stolen phone. This might also be the reason of the extreme step," said Gopaldas.