Indian Skeptic April 1995, vol. 7 no. 12, p. 13

 

N. Vikram, General Secretary, Atheist Society of India, Andrah Pradesh Branch

18.2.1995

 

I am enclosing herewith a Telugu Newspaper clipping about people vanishing at Puttaparthi, and its translation into English.

 

PRAJA SHAKTI, Telugu Daily, Hyderabad Edition dated 11.2.1995, page 2

 

UNSOLVED MYSTERY OF PERSONS MISSING IN PUTTAPARTHI           

 

Dharmavaram, Feb. 10: People are worried about the sudden vanishing of 3 persons in Puttaparthi, the well known spiritual center of Sathya Sai Baba. One lady and a foreigner are amongst the missing people. Facts on these missing people are not yet revealed.

 

These are the details.

 

Mr. Sanjay Yadav (31) belonging to Babulgan Town of Yavathmal district in Maharashtra visited Puttaparthi on 19th November 1994. His wife Mrs. Jyothi and his brother-in-law Tharkeshwar reported to the police station that he was missing since November 21st.

 

Similarly on 19.12.1994, Mahamaya Dadhuka (24) belonging to North Jowpore Dahee area of Howrah District of West Bengal, had vanished all of a sudden while making purchases in Puttaparthi with her friends. Her friends N. Gangoolee and M. Supritimanna reported this to the local police station.

 

While the above two cases worried the devotees visiting Puttaparthi, an incident of a Russian citizen missing took place. On 16th January 1995 Atan Cherge and his friend Alexander from Russia came to Puttaparthi. On 22nd January they registered their names in the male Ward Shed no. 21 at Prashanti Nilayam and stayed over there. They got introduced to Slacheko and Checksplier Vadimir of Moscow also staying in the same shed. These four Russians on 25.1.1995 visited Era Kondalu (Red Hills) on the east of Puttaparthi. At 12.30 noon, an unknown youth came there and took away Mr. Atancherg along with him. Since he never returned back, his friends Alexander Slacheko and Checksplier Vadimir reported the same to Puttaparthi Police Station. It is understood that Atancherg was carrying a video camera worth more than twentyfive thousand rupees. All these three missing one after the other within a short period, the public here are scared.