Cops talk godman out of taking samadhi

BHOPAL: A self-proclaimed godman who said he would take samadhi (remain buried) for three days, till Diwali, sent the local police in a tizzy in Mandla district.
Police covered the ground which was dug for samadhi on Tuesday evening.
"We came to know that a godman Bhura Panda, who is resident of Dindori, was taking samadhi on an open ground in Babatola village," Bicchia police station in charge Ramesh Shakya told TOI.
"Soon, we reached the ground and asked organisers as well as godmen to ensure that no one would take samadhi as it was against norms and prior approval from the administration should have been sought. They agreed to refrain from it," Shakya said.
"However, an eye was kept on the venue and the devotees who gathered there worshipped all night. Now, things are back to normal," he said.
Sources said that a large number of devotees had gathered to witness the event and even resisted the attempts of the police to stop Bhura Panda.
By the time the police reached the venue, Panda was already carrying out rituals, said sources.