SIMA PRAJAPATI.

▮ Identity sealed · POCSO §23

Family witness, Asaram cases

Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh

“Sima Prajapati is a prosecution witness who survived a shooting attack along with her husband Om Prakash Prajapati in Hoshangabad in 2014. The attack was planned by Asaram's hit squad to intimidate the family.”

Sima Prajapati was a former devotee of Asaram Bapu who was listed as a prosecution witness in the sexual assault trials. A resident of Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh, she had observed the administrative activities of the local ashram and agreed to testify regarding the movement of female disciples, making her a target for the cult's followers.

In 2014, Sima and her husband, Om Prakash Prajapati, were shot at by unidentified gunmen at their home. The couple survived the attack, which was part of a series of violent incidents targeting witnesses across six states. The shooting was designed to force the family to turn hostile and withdraw their statements, illustrating the extreme pressure faced by women testifying against the godman.

The investigation into the shooting was completed after the capture of hitman Tamraj in 2025, who confessed to executing the attack on instructions from ashram managers. The local police prosecuted the case under the Arms Act and the Indian Penal Code, providing the family with security guards during the trials.

Sima remained a prosecution witness despite the trauma and the ongoing security risks. She continues to live in Madhya Pradesh with her family under police protection. Her case is recorded as a significant detail in the narrative of the witness intimidation campaign, highlighting the physical risks faced by women who stood against the cult.