Interior designer who joined cult dies after leader forces her to go without food or water for TWO W
AN INTERIOR designer who joined a cult after her divorce died during a cruel starvation challenge set by its leader.
Russian Elena Smorodinova, 35, joined the Sai Baba cult after a difficult split from her husband.
Her relatives and friends claim that since she joined Sai Baba in the city of Novosibirsk in south-central Russia two years ago, Elena has shut herself away from them.
Elena used to be an open and cheerful person, they say, but changed completely on joining the cult.
The group was led by former fashion designer and psychologist Elena Baykova, also known as Lola-Lila.
Baykova claims to be a proxy of guru Sathya Sai Baba, who died in 2011.
One of Smorodinova's friends says that Baykova challenged Elena to go on long fasts and forbade her to stay in touch with her pals.
Elena survived several of Baykova's fasting challenges but died after being told to go without food for three weeks - with no water for the first two.
Elena reportedly told Baykova she wanted to quit but passed away from dehydration and malnutrition.
Elena's friends are convinced that Baykova deliberately set such cruel tasks for their friend in order to harm her.
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They suspect she was jealous of Elena and her unnamed boyfriend, who liked to text her despite the ban on communications.
Since the death Baykova has been on the run, as she may face charges of influencing a person to commit suicide.
There was no comment from anyone else in the Sai Baba cult, and it is not known whether it is still operating.
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