Police pulled down the ashram yesterday and got the land encroached by "godman" Rajendra Prasad for nearly four months in Natwa village freed, District Magistrate Vishakh G said.
Five people, including Prasad, have been arrested from the ashram from where six minor girls have been freed and sent to Bal Kalyan Samiti for counselling, the magistrate said.
The DM said that like Ram Vriksha of Jawaharbagh Mathura, Prasad had also prepared a team of lathi-wielding youths, scripted his own "constitution" and had collected nearly Rs 20 lakh in donation. He was also running his writ among illegal land grabbers and admitted it before newspersons.
SP Shachindra Patel said Prasad is a resident of Dattipurva village in Vindhyachal area of Mirzapur district and had earlier been arrested for immoral acts.
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He had been residing in Natwa village since his release on bail, the SP said, adding that preliminary inquiry suggests that the girls were being used for immoral activities.
Prasad's involvement in criminal activities as well as his links with naxalites will also be probed, the SP said.
According to Patel, several of his supporters fled the scene when the police team reached there and were hiding in nearby areas and a vigil is being maintained to ensure that they do not regroup again.
Prasad and his supporters had also staged a protest on the National Highway 2 to free the 16-year-old girl and indulged in brick batting in which three policemen including an inspector were injured. The girl was freed two days ago.
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