Obit

Hindu Holy Man Sai Baba Dies

Had been accused of faking miracles, sexual harassment.

The Hindu holy man Sathya Sai Baba, considered a living god by millions of followers, died Sunday at the age of 86. He had spent more than three weeks on breathing support and dialysis while coping with multiple-organ failure in a hospital outside his southern Indian ashram. Sai Baba had ashrams in more than 126 countries and was believed by his followers to be capable of miracles, such as conjuring rings and watches and a sacred ash from his unkempt hair. But he was not free of controversy: News reports alleged he faked miracles, and a BBC program interviewed two American male devotees who accused Sai Baba of sexual harassment. The guru and his ashram have always denied reports of any wrongdoing, and he was never convicted of a crime.