A guru in India 's northern Haryana state is in jail awaiting trial after 10 days of clashes between his followers and police seeking his arrest . The spiritual leader , Rampal Maharaj , was arrested Wednesday at his ashram without further resistance from his followers , said M.L . Kaushik , the regional administrative commissioner . Police said 459 people have been arrested . Also on Wednesday , Rampal 's followers turned over the bodies of five women and a child who authorities believe died of illness , Haryana state Police Chief S.N . Vashisht said . Tensions started more than a week ago when the followers did n't let officers arrest Rampal , the commissioner said . The situation began to escalate , culminating in full-blown clashes . The initial order to arrest Maharaj came after he repeatedly failed to appear in court in connection with a 2006 murder case , Kaushik said . After his arrest , the guru also was charged with sedition and waging war against the state , as well as attempted murder and rioting , Haryana state Police Chief S.N . Vashisht told CNN . The guru was jailed after making a court appearance Thursday in the city of Chandigarh , and a hearing was set for November 28 , Vashisht said . `` I am innocent . All allegations against me are false , '' Rampal told reporters as he was escorted out of court . Several security personnel were injured in the clashes with the guru 's followers , who fired shots and pelted police with stones at the 2½-acre religious complex , police said . Police had surrounded the ashram and ordered its evacuation , cutting off the water and electricity , and warned they would n't leave until they had arrested Rampal . Police attempted to storm the compound on Tuesday attempting to take Rampal into custody . Television footage showed hundreds of police in riot gear aiming water cannons and tear gas at stone-throwing crowds . As many as 85 of Rampal 's followers were hurt , authorities said . Thousands of the supporters left the ashram late Tuesday and into Wednesday , police said . Early Wednesday afternoon , they estimated about 5,000 people remained inside , and the situation was reported to be calmer . Ashram authorities on Wednesday handed over to authorities the bodies of five women and a child who had died recently . Police said the bodies bore no visible signs of injury . `` We believe they were sick and died because of lack of medical attention on time , '' Kaushik said . Autopsies will be performed at a nearby hospital to determine the cause of death . Rampal , 63 , is a worshiper of Kabir , a 15th-century Indian mystic , according to his website .
459 are arrested after violence at the ashram of Rampal Maharaj , police say . - The government announces a ban on all religious conversions. Among the new charges against Rampal are sedition , waging war against the state . Ashram leaders hand over to police six bodies ; all apparently died of illness .