Finally, it was Rampal's followers who did him in. Thousands of supporters, who had been holed up in the 12-acre ashram with their guru, told the management late last night that they wanted to leave. Even though many supporters had already left the ashram, over 2,500 supporters who were still inside, challenged the ashram management daring them to stop their departure.

The management told them that they could indeed leave but would never be able to return to their guru. When they choose freedom over their guru, the Haryana police force camped outside the ashram for two days escorted them to the bus stand, reports the Times of India.

The police had also cut off electricity to the ashram for the last 10 days and no power supply, suffocation, shortage of food and lack of drinking water, broke their resolve.

In addition, the six deaths in the ashram -- five women and a child -- had scared the supporters.

The police went in to the ashram late last night and found Rampal hiding in a bunker and arrested him. 

The followers who were still inside the ashram also came out following his arrest and spoke of their confinement.

They narrated how they were virtually confined there along with thousands of others who too desperately wanted to leave the premises.

They said Rampal's private commandos did not allow them to leave. Some of the followers who had been held hostage in the ashram by Rampal's commando force told how they had come for a Satsang a few days back and had been forced to stay on.

They said some of them managed to escape on the pretext of buying medicine, but thousands more were still inside.