Aravindan Balakrishnan, a figure known to his devoted followers as "Comrade Bala", embarked on a life journey that would eventually lead him to prominence as the leader of a cult. Born in Kerala, India, Balakrishnan's early years were marked by a sense of displacement as his family migrated to Singapore, Malaya, where his father held a position as a soldier.
As he grew older, Balakrishnan's fascination with Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought led him to establish the Workers' Institute of Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought, with its headquarters situated in London. The institute served as the hub for his cult-like following, which was shrouded in secrecy.
Fast-forward to November 21, 2013, when the Metropolitan Police's Human Trafficking Unit executed a daring raid on a residential address in Lambeth, South London. The suspects, a 73-year-old ethnic Indian Singaporean man, Aravindan Balakrishnan, and his 67-year-old Tanzanian wife, Chanda Pattni, were taken into custody. The investigation that followed uncovered allegations of slavery and domestic servitude, casting a dark shadow over Balakrishnan's leadership and the activities of his cult.
As the dust settled, the true extent of Balakrishnan's alleged crimes began to unravel, leaving many to wonder how such a seemingly ordinary individual could have orchestrated such a web of deceit and exploitation. The story of Aravindan Balakrishnan serves as a chilling reminder of the dangers of blind devotion and the devastating consequences that can result from the abuse of power.
