India: 400 men cut off their testicles to 'get closer to God' following advice from 'guru'

Multi-millionaire religious "guru" Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh persuaded around 400 of his estimated 50 million followers worldwide to cut off their own testicles to "bring them closer to God".

The details of the bizarre incident have only just come to light despite reportedly taking place in 2000 at a hospital run by Ram Rahim in India.

India's Central Bureau of Investigation has reportedly accused Ram Rahim of grievous bodily harm and he is under investigation. He has previously been questioned over the murder of an investigative journalist in 2002 and has also been accused of sexual assault by female followers but has never been charged.
 
Navkiran Singh, who is the lawyer for Hans Raj Chauhan, the only castration victim so far to come forward, said his client and other victims believed they would become social outcasts if they refused to perform the "operation" demanded of them by Ram Rahim.

"They were told that only those who get castrated will be able to meet God," said Navkiran, in a report in the Daily Mail.

India: 400 men cut off their testicles to 'get closer to God' following advice from 'guru'