Mystery surrounds death of Sadhvi in Rajasthan as injection claim, Instagram post on ‘agni pariksha’ muddy waters
Police are investigating whether the death was linked to a controversy that erupted last year in which an allegedly edited video was circulated to ‘malign’ the kathavachak
The death of Sadhvi Prem Baisa, a kathavachak (spiritual storyteller) from Jodhpur, on Wednesday evening has triggered outrage among her followers.
Police said they were probing all angles. An Instagram post surfaced four hours after her death from her account, saying goodbye and alluding to an “agni pariksha (trial by fire)” that she went through. Her father, meanwhile, has said she was suffering from fever and died soon after a compounder administered a “wrong injection”.
Circle Officer Shakeel Ahmad from Jodhpur’s Boranda Police Station told The Indian Express, “As per the statement given by the father of the Sadhvi, Mahant Veeram Nath, she was suffering from fever for a couple of days. They called home a compounder, who gave an injection to the Sadvi on January 28 at around 4.45 pm. According to the father, within half an hour, her condition became serious and she was taken to a hospital nearby. Doctors at the hospital declared her dead.”
The officer said the body has been released to the family after a postmortem was conducted.
The Instagram post that appeared on her account hours after her death said, “I lived every moment for the propagation of Sanatan Dharma… It is my good fortune that I was born in Sanatan Dharma. And I took my last breath for Sanatan… I wrote a letter to Adi Guru Shankaracharya and many great saints and mahatmas of the country and requested an agni pariksha, but what did nature accept? I am saying goodbye to this world forever, but I have full faith in God and revered saints and mahatmas that I will get justice, if not during my lifetime, then after my death.”
The Sadhvi’s father said the post was made by her social media handlers as a “final goodbye”.
“My daughter is innocent, and she was given a wrong injection due to which her health deteriorated. I want justice in this case and want a police investigation to be done without any bias,” said Veeram Nath.
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Police have said the circumstances surrounding her death are being examined from all angles. Investigators also suspect that the “agni pariksha” she was referring to may have been linked to a controversy surrounding her that erupted nearly six months ago.
Viral video controversy
According to CI Shakeel Ahmad, the controversy dates back to July 2025, when the Sadhvi had lodged an FIR at Boranada police station, accusing her former staff members of blackmail, character assassination and extortion. In her complaint, she alleged that a group, led by Jogendra alias Jogaram (29), who installs sound systems, along with her former driver Ramesh, Jogendra’s wife Krishna and two others, conspired against her.
According to the FIR and police investigation, Jogendra allegedly took a private video from a CCTV camera installed at the Sadhvi’s residence in which she was purportedly seen hugging her father. The accused then allegedly demanded Rs 20 lakh, threatening to make the video public. When the Sadhvi refused to pay, the video was allegedly edited to give it an obscene colour and circulated on social media on July 13, 2025. The video quickly went viral.
CI Shakeel Ahmad said police arrested Jogendra, a resident of Saiyon Ka Tala in Barmer district, on July 20, 2025. During interrogation, he allegedly confessed that he harboured a grudge against the Sadhvi and wanted to take revenge. Investigators said his objective was not only to extort money but also to damage her reputation and get her Bhagwat Katha programmes cancelled. The viral video was allegedly used to mislead organisers, leading to the cancellation of several of her religious events.
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At the time, many of her followers had alleged that the accused had deliberately misrepresented a father-daughter relationship, severely tarnishing the Sadhvi’s image. The accused is currently out on bail.
Parul Kulshrestha is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Rajasthan. A lawyer turned journalist, she brings a unique cross-disciplinary perspective to her reporting, blending legal precision with deep social inquiry to cover one of India's most culturally and politically vibrant regions.
Expertise and Experience
Legal-Journalistic Synergy: Parul’s transition from a legal background to mainstream journalism provides her with a distinct advantage in interpreting policy, legislation, and judicial impacts. This expertise allows her to "read between the lines" of government orders and court rulings affecting the public.
Diverse Beat: With years of experience across both mainstream newsrooms and independent journalism, she has built high-level authority in several critical areas:
Nomadic Tribes & Marginalized Communities: She is recognized for her sensitive and in-depth reporting on the struggles and rights of Rajasthan's nomadic populations, often giving a voice to those outside the traditional political spotlight.
Gender & Social Justice: Parul focuses on the intersection of law and gender, covering issues ranging from women’s safety and reproductive rights to the socio-economic empowerment of rural women.
Environmental & Political Reporting: She tracks Rajasthan’s complex political landscape—including electoral shifts and bureaucratic changes—alongside critical environmental concerns like water scarcity and land use.
Academic & Professional Pedigree: Her background as a lawyer, combined with her rise to the rank of Principal Correspondent at a national broadsheet, establishes her as a senior voice in the media landscape. ... Read More
