Sisters’ suicides at Brahma Kumaris ashram: Agra police arrest kin who is key accused

Ekta, 38, and Shikha Singhal, 34, ended their lives on November 10 in their room at the ashram located at Jagner.

Two days after the deaths, the police arrested Neeraj’s father Tara Chand Singhal, 60, Guddan, another relative, and Poonam, an ashram employee, the police said.

“We had formed four special teams to trace Neeraj Singhal but he had been absconding for the last 13 days. Our teams had conducted raids on the possible hideouts of Neeraj in many places at Rajasthan and Gujrat villages. Finally, he landed in the police net,” said Mahesh Kumar, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Kheragarh.

He also pointed out that Tarachand was named in the suicide notes for grabbing Rs 25 lakh which the deceased had accumulated from different sources for the welfare of destitute women coming to Brahma Kumaris Ashram in Agra district.

Following the suicides, a team of the Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya University from Mount Abu had inspected the Ashram on November 13.

“The reason for the suicide of two sisters was a dispute over money within their family. We have also issued a circular to all Brahma Kumaris centres within the country and abroad to inform us if any inmate was facing problems and we will resolve their issue,” B KKomal, Public Relations Officer of the university.

Sonu Singhal, the brother of the sisters who lodged a First Information Report (FIR) at Jagner police station on November 11 said that all the four persons named in the suicide notes should face rigorous imprisonment.

“My sisters had dedicated themselves to the Brahma Kumaris to work for the welfare of poor women. It was the monetary dispute which claimed their lives,” said Sonu.