Police suspected Sanchalal Waiba, missing from Ram Bahadur Bomjan’s ashram in Sindhupalchowk, might have been murdered.

Police searching for Waiba found nine covers of salt packets buried some 300 meters away from his ashram on Saturday. DSP Bimal Raj Kandel said they found the covers of salt packets buried under the soil but did not find any mortal remains. “The body might have been burnt elsewhere,” Kandel said.

Waiba’s son Mahendra had filed a complaint at the police claiming his father had gone missing from Bomjan’s ashram for years. Bomjan, who in 2005 earned the media moniker “Buddha boy” for allegedly meditating for months without food, water or sleep, has been accused in the disappearance of four of his followers.

Police had raided the ashram at Todke Forest in Indrawati Rural Municipality of Sindhupalchowk district on Friday. Bomjan has ashrams in Bara, Sarlahi, Sindhupalchok and Sindhuli districts.