'Godman' Rampal's Satlok Ashram equipped with private swimming pool, 24 AC rooms

Barwala (Haryana), Nov 21: A huge cache of arms, a private swimming pool, state-of-the-art elevators and 24 AC rooms with one having a massage bed were found inside the highly-fortified Satlok Ashram from where 'godman' Rampal was "smoked out".

The shocking details came to the fore during the police operation to nab the "mouse" -- the code name used for the controversial 63-year-old engineer-turned-preacher, who was arrested on Wednesday in a murder case.

The cops came across a number of almirahs. From two almirahs police has found .32 bore revolvers, .315 bore rifles and 12 bore guns. The officials found some ammunition, including several rounds used in self-loading rifles (SLR) and 303 rifles.

Most of the weapons were kept in bags and almirahs in two secret rooms. In the centre of the Ashram, Rampal had an elevated structure on which he had his seat.

The ammunition was stored under the structure so that no one could suspect the location. The Ashram, built like a fortress, is surrounded by high walls with watchtowers.

A special room was set up within the Ashram for his securitymen comprising private commandos. The sprawling complex was found to be under constant surveillance with CCTV cameras installed at several key-points to keep a tab on the movements of devotees, who largely came from low-income strata.

At the entrance of Ashram, spread over 12 acres adjacent to Chandigarh-Hissar national highway in Hissar district of Haryana, police found metal detectors to check the devotees.

The AC rooms in the Ashram, which could be compared to a starred hotel or a farm house, had attached bathrooms fitted with top-of-the line fixtures.

One of the rooms had a massage bed, while another a treadmill.

The 'satsang' (prayer) hall in the complex, which came up in four years, is the centerpiece of the Ashram having a sitting capacity for 50,000 people.

Rampal used to sit in a hydraulic chair to deliver sermons from a bullet proof enclosure as his private militia stood guard.

PTI