Nellore: Self-proclaimed baba attempts suicide over row

Nellore: Nellore rural police on Friday booked non-bailable cases against a self-proclaimed Baba identified as Ananthabotla Sudhakar Baba of Navlack garden area in Nellore City who sold Namavali books at Rs 1000 to devotees saying he will pay Rs 1,400 if they write down the Namavali (name of the god) and return it.
A government teacher by profession, Sudhakar Baba who has a following among some political leaders and officials from Nellore region launched a 108-days-long Dattathreya Istakamyarda Maha Yagam on December 13 last year with support of some local bigwigs.

He also started distributing the Namavali books to gullible devotees under the plea that writing the Gods name will give financial gains. He told them that he would deposit the completed Namavali books in the Homam (holy fire) and the devotees would get immediate benefit. The demand for Namavali books started increasing as his office staff started paying Rs 1400 as promised for books returned to them after writing the god's name.

Trouble started when his office staff failed to pay the cash to those who returned the books on Thursday. Locals alleged that some employees of the Baba shifted huge amounts of cash from the office. The Baba allgedly collected more than Rs 5 crore from devotees under the guise of books. Sudhakar Baba, who was on his way to Hyderabad, returned to his Ashram at Navlack garden in Nellore on Thursday afternoon after coming to know about the developments.

On seeing him, the devotees came down heavily against him while demanding to pay their dues. Unable to bear the pressure, he rushed into his house and consumed pesticide. He was admitted to a corporate hospital in Nellore. His condition is stated to be stable. Nellore rural Circle Inspector, Srinivasa Reddy said they have booked a case against Sudhakar Baba and 4 others working for him under various sections including Section 5 of AP Protection of Depositors of Financial Establishments Act based on a complaint from one Rammohan and 12 others on Friday. He said the Baba is out of danger but is still in ICU because of some complications related to diabetes and cardiac issues.