Women held captive in Bamjan's ashram

PATHLAIYA:  

Bodhi Shrawan Dharma Sangh, formed to protect “Buddha Boy” Ram Bahadur Bamjan, has kept two women captive, one of them a foreigner, since three months. 

Marichi (35) from Slovakia and another woman of Sindhupalchowk, Mata, have been confined by the Sangh, which alleges they tried to distract Bamjan’s meditation. 

Inspector at Simara Area police Office, KP Sharma said a complaint had been filed about the women’s captivity in Halkhoriya forest, where Bamjan is meditating.
Sharma said police interrogated some members of the Sangh in this regard. “They have confessed the women are being held captive for trying to distract Bamjan,” he said adding, “They said they will release them after he completes his religious sermon.” Bamjan’s sermon started last Wednesday. 

Marichi had come to Nepal last year to meet Bamjan and has been missing since December 28. After her arrival, Marichi stayed at the local Lama Hotel and had for some time been residing in the Simara-based monastery. She used to meditate in Halkhoriya the whole day and return to the monastery in the evenings.

Krishna Maya Lama, caretaker of the monastery, said, “She has not returned since three months,” adding, “I have heard she is in Halkhoriya.” She said some days after her disappearance, two persons of the Sangh came to the monastery and took her laptop, clothes and other belongings. “Marichi is a kidney patient. She was on medication,” Krishna Maya said, adding “We had taken the medicine, which she had left in the monastery and handed them to persons of the Sangh. We were not allowed to meet her.” 

Marichi was seen in Pathlaiya-Nijgadh’s Pasaha on the evening of December 28, the very day of her disappearance. Eyewitnesses at Pasaha said she was sipping tea but was forcefully taken by two persons of the Sangh on a motorcycle towards Halkhoriya. An eyewitness said, “Marichi appeared afraid and one of her hands was fractured.” 

Owner of Lama Hotel and persons who knew her have been searching for her. Dawa Lama who claimed Marichi had come to Nepal through his contact, was also unaware of her condition. He said when he asked about Marichi’s condition in Halkhoriya, no one responded. Owner of Lama Hotel, Krishna Lama said, “Marichi stayed in my hotel many times but later stayed in the monastery when she ran short of money.” 

Locals of Ratanpur say the Sangh has also kept Mata captive. The Sangh has accused them of practising witchcraft to disrupt Bamjan’s meditation. I Mata was staying in Halkhoriya as a volunteer. A source said Mata and Marichi were kept in a room in Halkhoriya as ordered by Bamjan.

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