(MENAFN- Arab News) BARWALA: Controversial Indian guru Rampal Maharaj was arrested from his Satlok Ashram at Hisar's Haryana on Wednesday.

Police reportedly stormed inside Rampal's chamber and took him away in an ambulance.

Police have discovered five bodies inside the premises after they used tear gas and batons to force their way into the heavily-guarded ashram of Rampal who was wanted on a series of charges including conspiracy to murder.

They found the bodies of four women and an 18-month-old child at the sprawling compound 175 kilometers northeast of New Delhi where they believe Rampal was hiding out said Haryana state's director general of police SN Vashisht.

The child appeared to have died of natural causes but it was unclear how or when the four women lost their lives he said adding that another woman died after being taken to hospital apparently suffering from a heart condition.

'All dead bodies have been sent to the hospital where they will undergo a post-mortem to ascertain the exact cause of their deaths' he said.

Thousands of people had poured out of the ashram since Tuesday when police stormed in.

Authorities sent 500 paramilitaries to the town of Barwala where the ashram is located to try to quell the unrest a Home Ministry source said.

Supporters armed with stones petrol bombs and other weapons had guarded the ashram for days after a court ordered the arrest of the guru.

Police are seeking Rampal's arrest after he repeatedly refused court orders to appear to answer charges including conspiracy to murder inciting mobs and contempt of court.

'We have already saved around 10000 lives and around another 5000 people are inside. We will save their lives and arrest the wanted man' said Vashisht.

Several supporters said they had to fight their way out of the ashram while police claimed they had been used as human shields to protect the guru.

'What started as a trickle hasn't yet stopped and we have dropped off around 10000 people at nearby bus and train stations' assistant police superintendent Jashandeep Singh said of the supporters.

'The people who left the ashram mostly said that they were being held against their will as a shield for the guru against any police action' Singh told AFP from outside the ashram.

Police said they were checking those leaving the ashram in case Rampal was hiding in the crowd.

They accuse him of ordering his supporters to fire on villagers during clashes in 2006 in which one person was killed and scores injured charges Rampal's website says are 'false.'