A Russian doomsday cult of more than 30 members have barricaded themselves inside a remote cave and refuse to leave. According to the police the sect members told them they will be there till the end of the world, if forced they will commit suicide.
The cult includes 29 adults and four children, they have locked themselves up inside a snow covered hillside in the Penza region of Central Russia. They moved into this cave on November 7th. The police have arrested the cult leader, Pyotr Kuznetsov, 43, before this event took place. He has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and it seems he has slept inside a coffin.
The police took Kuznetsov to the cave and wanted him to persuade his followers to
leave the cave, but the cult members refused to leave. The members said if the police, the government officials or the media try to intervene, they will commit suicide by blowing a gas tank inside.
The police are having a wait and see approach because they don’t want to cause problems for the children.
The members are thought to have taken food and fuel supplies with them, but not sure how much or how long they will last. But the Russian media showed some pictures of smoke or steam coming out of a hole in the snow-covered ravine.
The police is guarding the entrance so no one else will disturb them.
Father Georgy a local priest told NTV Television that they are simple Christians. are thought to have taken food and fuel supplies in with them and Russian television pictures from the scene showed smoke or steam coming out of a hole in the snow-covered ravine where it was built. The priest said to NTV:
They say: 'The church is doing a bad job, the end of the world is coming soon and we are all saving ourselves'."
Media is reporting that cult members believe the world would end sometime in May next year.
The police expect them to emerge when their supplies ran out.
Under communism rule, religions in Russia were banned so many of them remained atheists. But recently with liberalization, many are practicing other religions openly without any fear. So, the media thinks these members might have come under the influence of a home grown or a foreign sect.
I hope these members come to their senses soon, if not at least they should let the children go. If nothing works, the police should send a Russian bear inside the cave, that will drive them out.
Russia sect holes up in cave to await end of world
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