Victim, 25, fighting rape case against Govindanand Teerath for two years
- Shot as she arrived at court in India to give statement against 'godman'
- Her mother was injured in the shooting and is now recovering in hospital
- 'Godman' refers to high-profile Indian guru who makes spiritual claims
- Two men have been detained by police after the woman died at the scene
By LIZZIE PARRY
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A rape victim was shot dead at an Indian court as she prepared to give her statement against a local 'godman'.
The 25-year-old woman had been fighting a rape case against Govindanand Teerath for two years.
A godman is the name given to a high-profile Indian guru. They are capable of garnering support from Indian society and make claims of spiritual attainment.
The alleged victim was walking to the court in the western Uttar Pradesh Mathura region with her mother yesterday when a group of gunmen opened fire.
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Shooting: A 25-year-old rape victim was killed and her mother injured when gunmen opened fire at a court in northern India. It is unclear who the woman in the picture is, although she is believed to be the victim's mother
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Tragic: The shooting happened at a court in Utter Pradesh's Mathura region. The rape victim died at the scene
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Fight: The woman had been fighting a rape case against local godman, Govindanand Teerath, for two years
The victim's mother was seriously injured in the firing and is in hospital in the Aligarth region, NDTV reported.
However, her daughter was pronounced dead at the scene.
The gunmen opened fire before fleeing the area. Police have detained two men for questioning.
It is not clear whether the shooting was carried out at the behest of Teerath, who was accused of raping the woman in 2012 but has never been arrested.
Police say they are also investigating the possibility that another godman, Bhagirathi Baba, was behind the incident.
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Fatal: As the rape victim arrived at the court to give a statement, a group of gunmen suddenly opened fire
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Response: The gunmen then fled the area. Police have now detained two men in connection with the shooting
Some godmen claim to possess paranormal powers, including clairvoyance or the ability to heal.
A godman's followers often address him as 'His Holiness'.
They tend to live in their own ashrams, a spiritual retreat, instead of belonging to any religious order.
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