Seven and counting: Yet another witness in Asaram Bapu rape case shot in UP, seriously injured

Bareilly: A witness in a rape case against self-styled godman Asaram Bapu was shot at and seriously injured by unidentified assailants in Shajanpur district, police said on Saturday.

Kripal Singh, who is 35-years-old, was shot at by two unidentified motorcycle-borne persons in the Puwayan area while he was on his way home on Friday night, police said. Singh, who sustained severe bullet injuries was rushed to Bareilly where his condition was stated to be critical.

The Indian Express has quoted a police officer saying that a bullet hit Singh in the spine and is lodged there.

In a statement given to Additional City Magistrate, Singh had alleged that people connected to Asaram Bapu had been threatening him over the last few days.

Police said that Singh was an employee of a transport company, whose owner’s daughter had lodged a case against the self-styled godman. The godman is accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year old girl.

Singh is said to have been working as an LIC agent and has a six-year old son.

In January this year, another witness who had served as a cook at Asaram’s ashram, Akhil Gupta was shot dead in Muzaffarnagar. Gupta, who was said to be the prime witness in the rape case against Asaram Bapu.

Before he was shot, Gupta had given a statement in a court in Gandhinagar and given incriminating evidence against Asaram.

Also, in March 2014, two motorcycle-borne men threw acid on Dinesh Bhagchandani, a key witness against Asaram.

The attack on Singh is the seventh such attack on a witness against the self-styled godman.

With inputs from PTI