For 80 days, a man once known for living in a 40-room luxury mansion in Balrampur hid away in a cramped hotel room in Lucknow, all to escape the clutches of the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (ATS). The self-styled godman and the mastermind massive religious conversion racket, was none other than the controversial figure Jamaluddin, better known as Changur Baba. Along with him on the run was his close associate, Neetu alias Nasreen, posing as his daughter.
Downfall from a mansion to cheap hotels
Changur Baba, who once enjoyed a lavish life in a mansion with every imaginable amenity, spent nearly three months evading authorities in a modest Lucknow hotel room that cost only Rs 1,000 a night. He checked into the hotel on 16 April at 6:15 pm under the name “Changur”, accompanied by Neetu alias Nasreen and a lawyer. The hotel, located in the Vikas Nagar area of Lucknow, registered them as visitors from Balrampur. Neetu listed her name as "Neetu Naveen Rohra" on the hotel register and Aadhaar card, identifying Changur Baba as her father.
Baba remained hidden in room, Neetu did the chores
Initially, they were allotted Room No. 102, booked for four days, but they continued to stay there until 30 June. Due to a bathroom issue, they shifted to Room No. 104 on 1 July. During their entire stay, hotel staff noticed that Changur Baba rarely, if ever, left the room. It was Neetu who would step out, handle logistics and place vegetarian food orders to be delivered directly to their room.
The lawyer who accompanied them told hotel staff that they were in Lucknow for a legal matter involving Changur Baba's son, who was facing a case in the High Court.
Weeks-long run comes to an end
This elaborate hiding came after the Uttar Pradesh ATS had registered a case against Changur Baba and his associates last year for their involvement in illegal religious conversions. In April, his son Mehboob and a close associate Naveen Rohra alias Jamaluddin were arrested. Just eight days after their arrest, Changur Baba went into hiding.
His time on the run ended on July 5, when the ATS finally tracked him down and arrested both him and Neetu alias Nasreen from Room 104 of the same hotel.
