Parents of children at Shivajivadi ashram say caretaker committed unnatural sexual acts on minors for 2 years; kids say accused threatened to thrash them

Spiritual guru arrested for sodomising boys

Parents of children at Shivajivadi ashram say caretaker committed unnatural sexual acts on minors for 2 years; kids say accused threatened to thrash them

A 16-year-old boy living at Balakashram in Shivajivadi, Moshi, finally broke his silence and approached the Bhosari police station on Saturday night to tell a horrendous tale of sexual abuse by the ashram caretaker.

After that, all the five children at the ashram stepped forward to narrate how their spiritual guru had been sexually abusing them all these days.

Section 377
The police took action against ashram caretaker Dipak Vishnu Lamkhade (34), arresting him under various sections of the IPC, including sections 377 (offence of unnatural sexual act), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt).

Lamkhade was produced before a court at Morewadi in Pimpri and remanded in police custody till November 23.

Speaking to MiD DAY, the father of a 13-year-old boy said, "He should be hanged as he has cheated us and tortured our kids to satisfy his unnatural desire."

Facade of religion
The father, who is a farmer, said Lamkhede had had promised parents that he would impart religious education to all the children and provide them boarding facilities.

"He had told us that with his training the children would become expert kirtankars (religious chanters)," said the man. "But the caretaker was abusing these kids for the past two years."

The Bhosari police said all the five children ufffd they are Std V to Std X students ufffd had said in their statements that Lamkhede used to call them to him one by one to have unnatural sex with them.

The children said they could not open up before as Lamkhede had threatened to beat them up if they told on him.

Kids break silence
The matter came to light when Lamkhade took all the children to his hometown in Kelewadi and his wife asked the children about his conduct with them. A 16-year-old boy, who is a STD X student, opened up first and narrated how Lamkhede abused them at night.

After returning to their respective villages in Junnar taluka, the older children narrated the incident to their relatives and they decided to lodge a police complaint.

The father of the 13-year-old boy said, "Lamkhade ran away to Chakan when he realised what was coming. Ganesh Saste, the owner of the Balakashram, nabbed him in Chakan and handed him over him to the Bhosari police.