Wigneswaran visits Godman’s ashram

Pudukottai: Sri Lankan northern province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran on Saturday visited the ashram established by controversial self-styled godman Premananda near here.

Wigneswaran went around the ashram and enquired with the officials of the trust, managing it, about its functioning and their activities, police and ashram officials said. He offered worship at the Lord Shiva temple constructed near the samadhi of Premananda and participated in a special pooja at the ashram, they said.

Lanka born Premananda alias Premkumar had moved to India in 1984 with his followers to escape the civil war in his country and established the ashram which provided shelter to orphans and destitutes.

A controversy arose in 1994, when a girl inmate of the ashram gave a police complaint that she was raped. Thereafter, murder charges were also made. Premananda was sentenced to a double life term for rape of minor girls and a murder. He died in 2011. DSP Balaguru said elaborate security was made for the visit of the Sri Lankan dignitary.